


Enginn Mig Sér, Sama er Mér

by orphan_account



Category: LazyTown
Genre: Angst, Blood, Buried Alive, Child Abuse, Childhood Sexual Abuse, Dark, Fae & Fairies, I swear, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, M/M, Past Child Abuse, Past Rape/Non-con, Rape Aftermath, Rape Recovery, Romance, Slow Build, Torture, and this will have a happy ending, elf sportacus, fae!Robbie, lots of sugar, promise that Sportacus is nice, sort of, unpleasant descriptive sounds
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-08
Updated: 2017-11-28
Packaged: 2018-09-15 16:52:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 17
Words: 80,763
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9246656
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: No one sees me, I don't care.At least that's what Robbie constantly told himself.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Man, I had to join in on the fanfiction. I actually unironically love Lazy Town now.

The only noise that was heard throughout the airship was the gentle hum of the engine, which stuttered ever-so-slightly for reasons unknown to the blue elf. Generally there was much more racket going on, both inside and out of the ship. There were always games to be played, chores to do, people to save... Sportacus stared up at his ceiling as he lay in his bed while tightly holding a soccer ball against his stomach, debating whether or not to toss it up in the air simply to pass the time. He probably would have, had he not been doing that for the past three hours. His leg began to twitch against his mattress, which provoked the elf to let out a deep sigh at the sign of his ADHD acting up. Of course, elves did not actually have ADHD, or at least they did not call it that. It was not a medical issue for them, but rather a lifestyle. Sports elves were not genetically _structured_ to sit still, it was literally in their DNA to move about. Granted, most did not take it to the extremes that Sportacus did, but even then it was not unheard of. 

Sportacus moved on of his hands up to the crest that sat upon his chest, containing the crystal that he held so near to his heart. Literally. It was not that he treasured it as an object, but rather as an extension of himself. All sports elves were born with crystals, and they performed like instruments to control and manage an elf’s power and being. It would not kill an elf to have their crystal destroyed or damaged, but it would make their life more complicated and stressful. Sportacus, being a somewhat unique sports elf, always felt much more helpless and useless without his crystal. It was the fastest way to find someone in trouble, and arriving in Lazytown he found that his crystal blinked and buzzed constantly. In fact, now his crystal was somewhat linked to the town, so even when he was not in it the crystal would let him now if everything was okay. This was both a good and bad thing. On one hand, it meant that Sportacus would have trouble leaving Lazytown to save other places like he’d had prior to arriving, but on the other hand it meant that he finally found a place to call home. Well, at least his heart was set in Lazytown, but his instincts and mind were constantly telling him otherwise.

Sportacus constantly found himself feeling slightly on edge in the town, and he could never figure out why. The town was a welcoming place, with no evildoers or monsters. Everyone loved him, and he loved them in return. He was a wonderful influence on the children, _and the adults_ , and although it took a while to admit Sportacus could safely say that the children changed him for the better as well. He found himself growing to be much gentler than before, more understanding of human ways… He discovered that one did not have to be rough and demanding to get people to move around and not be lazy, but sometimes being kind of soft-spoken could have the same effect. 

That being said, they were always getting themselves into trouble. It wasn’t usually anything too bad; a runaway car here, a baseball flying into Bessie’s cake there. Something that may end up giving someone a few bruises, but nothing too life threatening. The fact that his crystal had not gone off once in the last few days was a cause for concern for Sportacus. At first it made sense because the weather had not been particularly kind at the beginning of the week. Most of Lazytown had been snowed in and there was no way any of the children’s parents would let them outside. But the snow had long since stopped, and those kids should have been outside. 

Jumping up form his bed, Sportacus sprinted towards his door with his telescope. 

“Door!” he called, and the ship granted his request.

He stepped out into the freezing air, and glanced down at the town to find nobody outside at all. He was not one to demand kids play every single day without rest, but a full week inside wouldn’t do anyone any good. Everything seemed to be okay other than that, but Sportacus could not help but feel slightly paranoid that something was going on that he did not know about. He knew that his crystal would tell him, but the analytical side of his brain made him ponder the possibility of it being broken. A whole _week_ without any of them getting into trouble! Sportacus knew that the children were getting older, but they were still young and full of life! Surely someone would have needed him by now!

Sportacus could not help himself any longer, and decided that he would pay a visit to the residents. Even if they didn’t need saving, there was not harm in checking up on them just to be sure. The elf called for his ladder, and it descended towards the town below. He climbed down and flipped onto the ground, looking around and deciding whom to visit first. Stephanie was the closest, since she lived in the mayor’s house, and the odds were that she knew what the others would be up to. He could kill two birds with one stone as the saying goes. With a smile, Sportacus flipped and ran up to the mayor’s house and gave a few quick knocks against the door. It opened a moment later to reveal the small pink girl, who smiled widely up at him.

“Hello Sportacus!” Stephanie exclaimed. “What are you doing here?”

“Oh, I was just coming to pay a visit!” Sportacus replied in an airy tone. “Can I come inside? It is rather cold out, today.”

“Of course you can!” Stephanie said excitedly, stepping out of the way so he could enter. “Would you like something to drink? I can make you some cocoa without any sugar, if you’d like!”

“Oh, that would be lovely, Stephanie, thank you!” Sportacus said.

Stephanie nodded and ran into the kitchen to get him a drink, and Sportacus’ heart warmed at the sight. He had always had a soft spot for her. She was so energetic, and it reminded him of how all young sports elves were, including himself. All of the other children had their parents to go home to, but not Stephanie. She had her uncle, sure, but if Sportacus was being honest…that wasn’t exactly a lot to go home to. The mayor was not exactly known for being the most intelligent man in the world, even if he was one of the kindest. Stephanie was already more clever than her uncle, and was probably beginning to catch on to the fact that he was not. So, the girl clung to Sportacus, and as a result the elf began to think of her as his own.

Sportacus walked into the living room and sat on one of the couch cushions, rubbing his hands together as the fireplace warmed him. Stephanie returned a moment later with his sugar-free cocoa, and it was delicious. She sat down with her own drink beside him and gave him a wide and toothy smile.

“So, what brought on this visit?” she questioned.

Sportacus shrugged, “I just haven’t seen anyone since last week!”

“Yeah, we haven’t been doing much,” Stephanie admitted. “It’s just been _so_ cold outside, and the adults didn’t even want us outside for a while. It’s supposed to warm up a little bit though, according to Pixel, so we will probably play tomorrow!”

“That’s good to hear!” Sportacus said as he sipped his cocoa. “So what have you been doing, if you weren’t outside?”

“Well, I practiced my dance moves a bit,” Stephanie said thoughtfully. “And I drew some pictures, did some homework in advance…that sort of stuff. What about you?”

“What I normally do, but then I got bored,” Sportacus said.

Stephanie giggled, “You get bored easily!”

Sportacus shrugged, “I guess I do.”

The two sat in silence for a while, simply enjoying their beverages and the warmth of the fireplace. They could hear the mayor humming upstairs as he did whatever he was doing, and Sportacus had to admit that the calmness and silence was nice when there was someone to share it with. Sometimes he forgot how nice relaxing was, at least when nobody might need saving.

“Sportacus, you look worried.”

Sportacus turned to Stephanie, who was staring at him very intently.

“Do I?” Sportacus asked.

“Yes,” Stephanie nodded. “Your eyebrows are all scrunched together.”

Sportacus couldn’t help but chuckle at that, “I didn’t know my eyebrows did that!”

“Everybody’s does!” Stephanie said with a smile. “But you only do it when you are very upset, or sometimes when Robbie does something silly.”

Robbie.

Sportacus stiffened at the name, turning to Stephanie with wide eyes, “Do I?”

Stephanie grinned and sipper her drink.

Sportacus let out a deep sigh, “Alright, alright…I came here because I worried that someone needed me. Nobody has needed my help for a whole week!”

Stephanie shrugged, “There isn’t a lot to do that would get us in trouble, I guess.”

Sportacus smiled, “I suppose not.”

The two continued to talk and drink cocoa together for a good hour before Sportacus glanced out the window to see the sun beginning to set.

“Oh, I better go, Stephanie,” Sportacus said. “It’s not too much longer until I need to sleep!”

Stephanie nodded, “Me too. Do you want any supper before you go?”

“No thank you, I have enough food in my ship,” Sportacus smiled, setting his empty mug down and standing up. “Thanks for giving me some company.”

Stephanie smiled wide and wrapped her arms around Sportacus in a tight embrace, “Will you come play with us tomorrow if it’s warmer outside?”

Sportacus grinned, “I wouldn’t miss it for the world!”

Stephanie jumped up and down excitedly, “Okay! I’ll see you tomorrow!”

“Okay, bye Stephanie!” Sportacus said as he left the house and began jogging towards his airship.

He felt much better after spending time with her. Perhaps he just needed to not be by himself for an entire week… Nobody could possibly benefit from that. Well, maybe Robbie could.

Robbie.

Sportacus paused in climbing his ladder.

_Did he really furrow his eyebrows at Robbie all the time?_

Maybe he should check on him? Robbie had also been alone for an entire week… Then again, his crystal would have beeped if Robbie were experiencing any sort of trouble. Sportacus shrugged, and continued climbing. If the children were out playing tomorrow, Robbie would surely be there to complain about it as always. He would check up on Robbie then, instead of disturbing the man’s peace. Besides, Sportacus never liked going to Robbie’s lair. He didn’t exactly know why, but whenever he went within 100 feet of the area he felt… _unwelcome_. Like, he wasn’t allowed to be there.

Robbie, and anything having to with Robbie was always weird, strange, unexplainable… almost _inhuman_. 

Sportacus shook his head as he called for his bed. He must be getting tired, because he was starting to think of weird scenarios. At least he had something to look forward to for the next day, instead of staring at a cloudy sky and empty town for the eighth day in a row. The elf pondered what activities to do the next day as he munched on a carrot. 

~*~

Sportacus’ eyes flew open at 8:08 as always, and he couldn’t help but smile at the idea of the new day. He got up and looked out the window, only to have the smile fall from his face. Stephanie must have been mistaken about the weather, because instead of seeing sun the elf saw even more snow falling. He felt his spirits fall at the thought of being alone again, and he fell back down onto his bed with a loud whine. 

His ears perked up when he heard the sound of a letter arriving an hour later, and he quickly got up to read it. Opening it he found Stephanie’s neat and curvy handwriting on a pink note.

_Dear Sportacus,_

_Everyone is at my house playing board games today, since it’s still snowing really hard outside. It would be more fun if you showed up!_

_Love, Stephanie._

Sportacus smiled wide. Board games were not the same as sports, but it would be better than being alone. Besides, he was curious to know what kind of board games they wanted to play. Scrabble? Chess? Checkers? Thinkblot? The possibilities were endless. Maybe they could even play charades! Now _that_ would be a lot of fun!

Sportacus arrived at the mayor’s house a few moments later, and was quickly let inside. However, instead of being greeting by a bunch of energetic children like he usually was, he was shocked to find it fairly quiet. Stephanie smiled as she let him in.

“Everyone is in the living room!” she said. “Just find somewhere to sit!”

Sportacus nodded as he walked towards the living room. He paused as he neared the doorway, however, when he heard a voice he was not expecting to hear.

“No no no, like _this_.”

There was a moment of silence before the kids squealed in delight and exclaimed, “Wow Robbie! I didn’t know you could do a bridge with cards!”

Sportacus peered into the doorway, shocked to find the skinny man sitting on the living room floor with all of the kids around him. He was apparently showing them how to do card tricks, which Sportacus did not know Robbie could do in the first place, and seemed to be having a fairly good time.

“It was actually Robbie’s idea to play games inside today,” Stephanie startled Sportacus as she spoke behind him. “I think he got lonely too, even if he won’t admit it.”

Robbie turned to face the door, obviously having heard the two of them, “Well it’s about time.”

“Hi Sportacus!” Ziggy exclaimed, running up to the elf to give him a quick hug. “Robbie is showing us cool tricks!”

“Yes, well…now that Sportaflop is here, we can do something else,” Robbie said quickly, scooting back a bit to create more room on the floor.

The kids all made a circle with Robbie, and Sportacus sat down in the only open spot left…which was right next to Robbie. Chancing a quick glance at the man, he noticed that Robbie looked very tired. Maybe he wasn’t sleeping well? On top of that, Robbie seemed to have gotten very tense since his arrival. 

“Hey Robbie,” Trixie asked. “Can you do magic tricks too?”

Robbie raised an eyebrow, “Magic tricks? Not really, no…but I can do _real_ magic.”

All of the children gasped, and Sportacus couldn’t help the smile that formed on his face. 

“Stinky, come here,” Robbie said.

“It’s Stingy.”

“Whatever,” Robbie waved his hand as Stingy drew closer. “How many gold coins do you currently own?”

“Why do you need to know?” Stingy questioned skeptically.

“Just answer the question.”

“Um…eight,” Stingy said slowly. “They are at home with Piggy.”

“Are you _sure_ you only have eight?” Robbie questioned slowly.

“Yes I’m sure- wait…o-only?” Stingy frowned. 

“Yes,” Robbie said with a grin. “Because I’m pretty sure I see one behind your ear.”

Stingy’s hands flew up to his ears, and he felt around desperately. With a frown the young boy gave Robbie a disgusted look, “Ha ha, very funny. That’s the oldest trick in the book! You’re just going to pretend to pull out a coin!”

Robbie’s hands flew up in defense, “I don’t have any coins. You should check all of your pockets to be sure you don’t have anything.”

Stingy stared at him skeptically for a long moment, before slowly feeling around in all of his pockets, “Nope, there’s not anything.”

Robbie grinned and snapped his fingers, “Really? Because I’m pretty sure I see one in your right pocket.”

“I just checked there!” Stingy exclaimed, his hand going into his pocket. “There’s nothing-“

Stingy’s eyes flew open as he pulled out a golden coin, staring at it with longing.

“WOW!” Ziggy exclaimed, and all of the other kids gasped in wonder as Stingy continued to stare at the coin and Robbie with a flabbergasted expression.

Sportacus was impressed as well, wondering how Robbie did that. It almost looked like real magic! He must be very good at tricks.

“How did you…?” Stingy questioned.

“Magic,” Robbie shrugged. 

“That’s really cool!” Ziggy said, putting his hands on Robbie’s leg and peering up at the man with admiration. “Can you teach me?”

“Hmm, well I don’t know,” Robbie with a faux thoughtful expression. 

“PLEASE?” Ziggy exclaimed. “I really want to be a magician!”

“I’m not a magician,” Robbie chuckled. “I am just Robbie.”

“Oh,” Ziggy said. “Well I can be just Robbie too!”

Robbie sat the boy down beside him once more and patted his head, “Why would you be me, when you could be Ziggy? We need someone to make sure the candy company doesn’t go out of business.”

“Hm, I guess your right. The town needs me to just be me,” Ziggy said with a smile. “Let’s play a game now! I say we play Candy Land!”

The children all debated what game to play, and Sportacus couldn’t help but watch Robbie. The man was surprisingly good with children when he wanted to be, which made Sportacus curious as to what Robbie’s actual motives were. He had always seemed to dislike children, noise, and any type of physical activity other than eating. But more than that, he seemed to dislike Sportacus. It was obvious that Robbie did not necessarily dislike the kids, but rather the loud activities that came with them. Or at least, that’s what Sportacus could tell. As the elf pondered these thoughts silently, he did not notice Robbie’s grey eyes watching him as well. Sportacus shook out of his stupor at the piercing gaze the man had, and he honestly could not tell what Robbie was thinking. His eyes were almost glaring at him, while at the same time the man gave no physical evidence that he was angry. It was the same look Robbie had given him when they had first met.

 _A warning glance_.

Sportacus felt extremely confused, but was jolted out of it as Stephanie called his name.

“Sportacus, how do you feel about Candy Land? Ziggy reeeeally wants to play it,” she said.

Sportacus smiled wide, “Sounds like fun!”

And so, they played Candy Land. As the day went on, and games continued to be played, nobody seemed to notice how much time they had spent together until the mayor announced that Ziggy’s mom had called on the phone for him to return home. The activities had ended there as Pixel walked Ziggy home, and Trixie left on her own. Sportacus and Robbie moved to leave as well, and Sportacus was surprised to see Stephanie give Robbie a quick hug goodbye. She then gave a longer one to Sportacus, and the two men parted ways with the girl. 

Robbie turned towards the path that led to his house without a word, and Sportacus felt compelled to follow. It took the man no less than two seconds to notice, and three before he said something.

“Is there something you want, Sportakook?” Robbie questioned with a slightly irritated tone.

“Um…I suppose so,” Sportacus said, running up to walk beside Robbie towards his lair. “I just wondered why you look…angry at me?”

Robbie’s nose turned up and his eyebrows furrowed, “I am always angry at you.”

“I know, but I never know why,” Sportacus said. “I mean, I haven’t accidentally hurt you have I?”

Robbie stiffened visibly before spitting out, “No, and let’s keep it that way. Goodbye.”

Sportacus frowned, “I mean, I know you don’t like a lot of the stuff I do, but that shouldn’t be why you hate me so much.”

“I don’t hate you.”

Sportacus turned to peer at the taller man, “What?”

“I don’t know how I feel about you yet,” Robbie elaborated. “I know I don’t like you, but I’m not sure how much yet. Time will tell.”

 _”What?”_ Sportacus breathed out in confusion. “That doesn’t make any sense!”

“It makes perfect sense if you know what I do,” Robbie said coolly. “Now go away.”

Sportacus huffed as he walked beside the lanky man. The two made their way to Robbie’s lair in silence, and the feeling of being unwanted began to steadily grow in Sportacus’ being. Usually it began one they were in the fields, but now it seemed to be happening while they were still in town. Strange.

“Well, today was fun at least,” Sportacus said. “The kids really seem to like you!”

“They’ve always liked me,” Robbie muttered. “And then you showed up.”

Sportacus frowned, “Is that why you don’t like me? You hate me because the kids all showed me attention? Because if so, I can fix that-“

“No, that has nothing to do with it you ass,” Robbie hissed. “Now _go away_.”

“Robbie listen, I want to fix whatever it is I’ve done that’s made you dislike me so much!” Sportacus exclaimed with desperation in his voice. “I had a lot of fun today, and I don’t want it to be the last time we play with the kids together! It’s not good for you to be locked away in your lair all the time anyway.”

“I didn’t ask for health advice,” Robbie grunted, arms wrapping around himself as he shivered. “Now why don’t you make like a tree, and leave?”

Sportacus made a point to not leave, and instead began to walk heavier if only to irritate Robbie. The crunching of snow began to grate on both of their nerves. As the two of them made it to field, Sportacus felt as if he was being weighed down by the desire to _get the hell out_. It was almost like the universe didn’t want him anywhere near Robbie’s lair, but Sportacus ignored his instincts like an irresponsible elf. As if his father had come down and smacked him for doing such a thing, Sportacus felt shock run through him as Robbie angrily stopped and turned to face Sportacus with an expression of deep and utter loathing.

Sportacus couldn’t look away from Robbie’s grey eyes, piercing his soul like a knife. It was not a pleasant feeling, and Sportacus could only call it a feeling of terror. It was like Robbie wanted to murder him on the spot, which made the elf question the man’s desire to be around the children that day. Robbie towered over Sportacus with ease, and made a noise that Sportacus could have sworn sounded like a growl.

 _”Go. Away,”_ he hissed out.

As if being shoved by an invisible force, Sportacus staggered back a few steps. By the time he got his head on right again, Robbie was already at the door on the billboard. He had so much more to ask the man, but he couldn’t get the words out. Robbie really did not want him there, for whatever reason. Sportacus began to head back to his ship with his heart racing in his chest. As he drew closer to town, the feeling of being unwanted began to disappear. It really was only in that single area that he felt that way. The elf climbed the ladder and entered his ship, grabbing a bite to eat, and sitting to stare out his window at the falling snow as the sun set on the horizon. Sportacus was beginning to wonder if the feeling to leave the area Robbie lived in was simply coincidence, his instincts…or something else.

At that thought, Sportacus dropped the apple he was holding and he felt his heart skip a beat.

If he didn’t know better, he would say that the feeling felt almost like…a magic ward.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know what I want to write for this story, mostly, I'm just unsure of how it's going to get there. We will find out together. :)

Sportacus was restless in his bed, and for the first time in years he actually _couldn’t sleep_. If he had been in his right mind, he would have had some warm milk to calm himself down. The thought of there being _magic wards_ in Lazy Town continued to plague his mind, however, and he found himself unable to rest. Tossing his blankets off, Sportacus got out of bed and walked over to the door of his ship. _Perhaps some fresh air will do me some good._ As the door opened upon command, Sportacus walked out and sat on the edge. It was very cold, but the snow had stopped and revealed a beautiful starry sky. He wished he could see the Northern Lights from where he was, but the light emitted from the town below prevented such a sight. Leaning back onto his hands, Sportacus took in a deep breath and let it out slowly.

Magic wards.

He had not come into contact with any wards in _years_. When he began his journey of exploration he had been surprised to see that other magical beings like him did not generally like to exist in human territory, or at least not out of their designated areas. Elves, Trolls, Fairies, Gnomes, Pixies, even _Snow Monsters_ preferred to live with others of their kind, which was natural for any being. For Sportacus to run into magic in a town full of humans with no sign of any other magical creatures was highly unusual, and if Sportacus was being honest…it was also _disconcerting_. Generally if magic showed up in a place that it should not belong, that was not a good thing. It could mean many different things, and all of them were unpleasant. 

For example, Sportacus’ older brother, Íþróttaálfurinn, would return home every so often and speak of his adventures. He would tell little Sportacus all about how he would be going along just fine, when all of a sudden he would sense magic. Sometimes it was an angry Brownie, generally the area would be trashed and the children would be frightened before it calmed down. Other times it would be Leprechauns, causing people to “misplace” items, or Pixies who liked to bite and fingers and toes and behave like little tricksters. Of course sometimes the creatures were not so easily dealt with. His brother had spoke of one incident where a couple of imps disguised themselves as children, and caused so many issues to arise that the townspeople had to evacuate for an entire month before he could catch them.

Of course, nothing would irk a Sports Elf more than the appearance of a _Goblin._

Goblins were described as small, ugly little creatures that stole your items and scratch at you if you tried to near them, but that was so far from the truth that it nearly hurt. Goblins were nearly identical to Elves in both appearance and magical abilities, but they were malevolent and actually _enjoyed_ mayhem. Not simply trickery played on adults, but rather destruction, and even murder. They were also enchanted creatures, and as such could perform high levels of magical illusions and spells. They were highly underrated creatures in level of destructive ability, and they were extremely difficult to catch. Sportacus could recall a time a few decades back when there had been a high rate of Goblins capturing Sports Elves and impersonate them. In doing so, townspeople would believe a hero had arrived, only to find that slowly (but surely) indescribably awful acts had occurred. Thus, those heroes would be banished from the town, so even if the Goblin was caught it would be too late. Sportacus would have been concerned that a Goblin had arrived in his town, if it were not for one important factor.

Goblins could not conjure magical wards.   
Besides, Sportacus had unknowingly felt the presence of the ward for years; he had just never put two and two together until that moment. He was an _elf_ for Pete’s sake! This confused him greatly, because he should have known what it was from the beginning. Magical wards were not generally so… _hidden_ , because they were a nonverbal way of communicating to other creatures to _go the fuck away_. This ward, however, was not an obvious one. Now that he knew what it was, of course, it was more pronounced (especially in that field). However, the ward was over the entire town. He did not feel its presence in his airship, but once he reached the ground it was _subtly_ there. Why would someone put such a discreet ward? It didn’t make any sense to the elf.

Sportacus sat there, pondering his questions and thinking of various possibilities, unsatisfied with all of them. He did not notice how long he had sat there until he saw the sunrise begin to show, breaking him out of stressed stupor. Now that he knew there was, or had been a magical being other than him, he could not help but feel extremely uneasy and tense. What if it was a Troll, or an Ogre? The kids would be in so much danger, and he would not even consider it a possibility to let them get hurt. He would definitely be keeping his eyes open and his attention alert at all times, because he would never forgive himself if anyone in town were harmed.

~*~

The elf watched as Stephanie kicked a soccer ball to Trixie through the snow as they played, and gave her a cheer that lacked quite a bit of actual sincerity. It was not that he did not feel proud, but rather he was not really paying their game any attention. He still felt uneasy, especially with the ward prickling at the corners of his mind. It was almost as if the ward knew that _he_ knew it existed, and decided to increase its level of power. Sportacus was so deep in thought that he did not notice Stephanie approach him.

“Sportacus?” she questioned, sitting beside him on the bench.

Sportacus jumped slightly, before breathing out a sigh of relief, “Oh, hello Stephanie. Yes, I’m fine.”

Stephanie frowned, “You don’t look fine. You’ve got dark circles under your eyes.”

“I did not sleep well last night,” Sportacus admitted. “I guess it’s just been a weird week.”

Stephanie nodded, and she swung her feet, “Well, maybe you need a nap.”

Sportacus smiled and nodded, “I might, but not right now.”

The girl turned to him and scooted closer, reaching her arm up to gently rest her hand on his shoulder. He took her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze, and she relaxed a bit. He thought it was sweet that she was constantly worried about him, much like how he was when he was younger and his brother would return home with bruises and cuts. 

“I hope you feel better, Sportacus,” Stephanie said. “Are you sure you don’t want to play?”

Sportacus shook his head, “No, I don’t really feel like... I think I just need a little break.”

Stephanie’s eyebrows furrowed, but she did not argue, “Do you want me to sit here and keep you company?”

“Stephanie, go play,” Sportacus insisted, giving her a gentle push. “I’m fine, I promise. I’m just sleepy.”

Stephanie nodded and gave Sportacus a pat on the back before running back to her friends. Sportacus sighed out of exhaustion and relief, rubbing the bridge of his nose as he felt a small headache begin to show itself. Sportacus felt the hair on the back of his neck stand on end, and he immediately stiffened and glanced around himself without making any sudden or obvious movements. 

Something was _watching_ him.

With lightning speed, Sportacus whipped to look behind him only to find Stingy’s beloved Piggy bank staring right back. With a frustrated growl and huff, Sportacus picked up to pig and set it down beside him. Great, now the elf was just paranoid. There wasn’t anything watching him, he was just on edge like a child afraid of the dark. He leaned forwards to rest his elbows on his knees, rubbing his forehead and eyes roughly. He did not notice that all of the children were watching him a few feet away with worried expressions.

“Um, he Sportacus!” Stephanie said. “My uncle said that he needed to get some groceries at the store today, but I thought it would be nice to do it for him since he’s already so busy. Would you come with me?”

Sportacus glanced up, seeing the concern on all of their faces. His heart felt warm from their kindness towards him, but his stomach sank as he realized they were worried that their hero was unwell. He supposed that running a few errands would not hurt, as they could be a distraction. Besides, he would feel better if he watched over Stephanie, because he knew she would simply go the store without him if he refused her offer.

“Alright, that sounds like fun!” Sportacus said with faux enthusiasm. “I need to stock up on more Sportscandy anyway!”

As the pink haired girl took his hand with a smile and led him towards the supermarket, he felt slightly relieved and thankful for the distraction from his thoughts.

He did not notice one of Robbie’s hidden pipelines watching them leave from behind a bush.

~*~

“Damn elf,” Robbie growled as he peered through his pipeline. _”I need to stock up on Sportscandy anyway!_ Yeah right! Like any intelligent person would buy that.”

He ripped himself away and shoved the spying device up and out of his way, stomping down to plop down in his orange chair. Robbie’s hands flew to his face and he dragged them down slowly as he let out an exasperated sigh.

“Why can’t he just _leave_?” Robbie muttered to himself. “Any other person in their right mind would have! What, does there need to be a big sign that literally says to get out for him to get the damn message?”

Dramatically flinging himself back, Robbie reclined in his chair with a fake cry. It was then that he remembered what had just occurred, and he cursed as he fell out of his chair to scramble back up to his pipeline device. How could he be so _stupid?_

_”Shit!”_ Robbie hissed. “She’s going with him alone!”

He opened every pipeline that he had throughout the town, but he could not find the two of them anywhere. Beginning to panic, Robbie felt his fingertips prickle with energy and his heart rate increase. 

“I have to find them,” he whispered heavily to himself. “Because I swear on my grandmother’s ashes, if he does anything to that girl I will _murder_ him!”

Quickly bundling up in a coat and gloves, Robbie snapped his fingers and disappeared on the spot.

~*~

“Ooh, this one looks delicious!” Stephanie giggled, holding up the red apple. “You could say, red delicious.”

Sportacus chuckled, “You’ve never been more right, Stephanie!”

The two of them continued to peruse the produce, taking turns pushing their cart. He would have done it, but Stephanie insisted on pushing now and then. Who was he to refuse? 

The two of them were having a fairly enjoyable time shopping when Sportacus felt like he was being watched again. Of course, there were a few people in the store that were whispering about him since he was the town hero, but it was not an admirer. It was like he was being watched by someone who wanted to hurt him…or _Stephanie_. Sportacus subconsciously moved to where he was closer to the girl, just to be safe, and the feeling felt like it was drawing nearer to him as well. In fact…it almost felt like someone was _breathing behind him_ -

“Oh hi Robbie!” Stephanie exclaimed, causing Sportacus to jump. “Are you shopping too?”

Sportacus spun on his heel to see Robbie Rotten standing not two feet behind him. He was looking at Stephanie as if Sportacus was not even there, and the elf could not help but feel irked. What was the man doing, standing so close to him? This happened more often than he cared to admit, and although he did not necessarily dislike the man’s company…he did seem to forget personal space at times. It was slightly ironic, really, because if Sportacus tried to shake Robbie’s hand or give him a clap on the back Robbie would cower in fear or start yelling at him to go away. Strange.

“Hello Stephanie,” Robbie said calmly. “How are you?

Stephanie beamed at him, “I’m great! I finally got to play outside today! Oh, we weren’t too noisy, were we?”

Robbie shook his head, “No, I’ve been busy today, so you did not bother me much.”

“Oh, okay!” Stephanie smiled at him. “Hey Sportacus, I’m going to go pick out some broccoli! I’m going to ask my uncle to make that soup again, so you can try it for supper! It’s so yummy!”

She skipped off with the cart towards the broccoli before he could reply, and Sportacus watched her go before turning back to see Robbie’s eyes staring straight into his. Sportacus felt his entire body stiffen in defense, and Robbie’s eyebrows slowly began to lower and push together as he frowned. Robbie was _glaring_ at him. Just straight up glaring. There was not beating around the bush today, because it was obvious that Robbie was _furious_. 

“Are you alright, Robbie?” Sportacus asked carefully.

Robbie snorted and folded his arms, “I’m the same as always.”

Sportacus frowned as Robbie continued to glare at him. It was like the man was looking directly into his soul, and not with good intentions. Robbie’s posture was completely lax other than his wide-open eyes. Sportacus felt exposed beneath the man’s gaze, so he quickly replied to distract himself from the unwelcomed discomfort.

“In that case, why don’t you try some sportscandy?” Sportacus asked with a grin. “Since you’re the same as always.”

Robbie’s eye twitched.

Stephanie returned with an armful of broccoli, “I’m back! I think we got everything!”

Sportacus nodded, “Alright, ready to go home, then?”

“Yes! Would you like to eat dinner with us, Robbie?” the girl smiled at Robbie.

Robbie turned to Stephanie, and Sportacus immediately noticed his gaze softening completely. It was like Robbie had become a completely different person. Strange. 

“No thanks, I have work to do,” Robbie said.

“Do you?” Sportacus muttered.

Robbie turned to give Sportacus the coldest glare, _”You have no idea.”_

Sportacus frowned as Robbie turned and left, waving goodbye at Stephanie. The pink haired girl waved back before dragging Sportacus to the checkout. The two paid for the food, and then began their journey back to the mayor’s house. Sportacus felt the prickly feeling of being watched once more, but no matter where he looked he did not see anybody. But he _knew_ someone had to be there. There was no way it was coincidence.

As they arrived to the house, Stephanie immediately went inside. Sportacus, however, glanced around cautiously. If anything was around that would harm the children, he would find it. As he continued to not see anything suspicious, he finally had to give up and go inside with one last glance.

A few yards away, Robbie Rotten was crouching behind a bush, eyes focused on the Sportacus and Stephanie. He watched every move the elf made, acutely aware of every tiny detail. Part of him had hoped Sportacus would actually try to hurt Stephanie, just to give him an excuse to get rid of the elf forever. The other part of him, however, was beating him up for even considering that as an option.

Turning to go back to his lair, Robbie growled under his breath in frustration. He had been having this issue since Sportacus had arrived, and he was not sure if it was for a good reason or simply from paranoia. He remembered back when he was more calm and collected, and wished that he could return to that day. _Stephanie just had to go and send Sportacus that damned letter!_ Robbie did not hold a grudge against her for long, because he knew that she had no idea what she was doing. It was honestly her uncle’s fault for suggesting doing that.

Robbie swallowed and shook his head, trying to forget what her uncle had actually hoped would have happened. Trying to forget…

“Ah, Ziggy! Look what you did!” Robbie was ripped from his thoughts when he heard Pixel let out a distressed cry.

Robbie walked towards Pixel’s house, seeing that the boy was outside. He was grabbing his hair in frustration, looking down at a box of gears and wires. Ziggy was bouncing up and down on his feet anxiously beside him.

“I’m sorry Pixel! I just thought they looked really cool!” Ziggy’s eyes began to fill with tears.

“What’s all this?” Robbie questioned in concern.

“Ziggy got taffy all in this power box, and now half of my stuff won’t work!” Pixel exclaimed. “I mean, I can make a backup…but that will take weeks!”

Robbie looked down at Ziggy, who had begun to cry rivers of tears. He had a flashback of a time when another little boy he knew so many years before had cried like this, but it was for a much more sinister reason. Still, he did not like dwelling on that time, and wished that Ziggy would stop causing him so much heartache. Robbie crouched down beside the blond boy, reaching up and wiping tears from his cheeks.

“Ziggy, was this an accident?” Robbie asked calmly. “Or did you do this on purpose?”

“It w-was an a-accident!” Ziggy hiccupped as more tears fell, and he wiped under his nose. “I-I tried to f-f-fix it, b-but I only m-made it w-worse!”

Robbie pulled out a tissue from his pocket and held it under Ziggy’s nose, and the boy blew into it much to Robbie’s distaste. He had intended for Ziggy to take the tissue from him, not _blow his snot into his hand_. Ah well, he was only five after all. 

“Did you say you were sorry?” Robbie asked, wiping more tears from Ziggy’s face.

“Y-yes, but he’s still m-mad!” Ziggy choked out, rubbing his eyes with a pout.

Robbie turned to look at Pixel, who huffed and looked away at being caught staring. 

“Pixel, Ziggy apologized,” Robbie said slowly. “Do you have anything you’d like to say to him?”

The twelve year-old glanced back down at the two of them, and stiffened at the sight of Robbie’s eyebrow rising expectantly. Pixel breathed in deeply, before letting out a long breath and unfolding his arms.

“It’s okay Ziggy, I forgive you,” Pixel said, his eyes softening a little. “But you can’t do this again, okay?”

Ziggy gasped in mild shock, before hugging Pixel’s leg tightly, “I-I’m sorry Pixel! I won’t do it again!”

Pixel pat his head, “Promise?”

Ziggy nodded furiously, “I promise!”

Then the boy ran up to Robbie and flung himself into the man’s arms, causing Robbie to fall back onto his butt with a small noise of pain. 

“Thank you Robbie!” Ziggy sniffed, rubbing his nose on Robbie’s coat as he hugged him.

Robbie made a disgusted face at the sight of snot, and pulled out another tissue to wipe it from the boy’s nose and his coat, “It was nothing, but stop getting your bodily fluids all over my clothes.”

Ziggy gasped, “I’m sorry Robbie!”

The corner’s of the man’s mouth turned up slightly, “Don’t worry about it. Why don’t you go play?”

“There isn’t anything to play,” Ziggy pouted. “And I can’t go home by myself, because my mommy said so.”

Robbie sighed, “I’ll take you home.”

Ziggy beamed at him, hugging him once more. Robbie turned to see Pixel trying to remove wads of taffy from his power box, obviously still upset. The man sighed and pulled Ziggy off of him as he stood up.

“Robbie, do _you_ know if this is fixable, or should I just make a new one?” Pixel asked quietly.

Robbie looked in, grimacing at the sight of all the melted candy. Some of it was burning from the heat of the wires that got damaged, and causing an even worse issue.

“Well first, turn it off before it catches on fire,” Robbie said, bringing his finger to tap on his chin in thought. “But I think that I can fix this, is you bring me some duct tape.”

“Duct tape?” Pixel questioned as he unplugged the box.

“Yes,” Robbie nodded. “It’s not a permanent fix, but it will hold you over until you make a new one.”

Pixel nodded, running inside to get some tape. Robbie glanced down at Ziggy, who was tugging on his pants. Robbie crouched down once more, and Ziggy swayed on his heels a little.

“Are you still going to take me home?” he asked quietly, eyes wide.

“Of course I am, I said I would,” Robbie reassured him. “I’m just going to help Pixel first, so you will need to wait for a minute, okay? It shouldn’t take long.”

Ziggy nodded, “Okay! Can I watch?”

“Do you still have taffy?”

“Oh…yeah, it’s in my pocket.”

Robbie held out his hand, and Ziggy gave him the candy, “I’ll give it back when we leave, alright?”

Ziggy nodded enthusiastically, smiling and bouncing on his feet. Sometimes Robbie forgot how entertaining the kids could be when they were so young. On one hand, they were exhausting because of all the energy they constantly had, and they were so _noisy_. But, on the other hand, they were so sincere in everything that they did, and it warmed the man’s heart. 

Robbie helped pull out taffy, and fixed Pixel’s box when he returned with tape. When he had finished, Pixel gave him a fist bump and asked if he would come back later on and see if he could take a look at one of his machines. Robbie agreed that he would when he had the time, curious to know what the genius young man had come up with that time. As Robbie called for Ziggy to leave, the blond boy ran up with incredible speed and stood beside him. He waved to Pixel as they began to walk towards his house. 

Robbie gave Ziggy’s taffy back as they began their short journey, and the boy ripped it in half to share. Ziggy began rambling to Robbie about various things that had been happening to him recently, most of which involving Sportacus or Stephanie. It was hard to keep up with what he was saying at certain points, but Robbie nodded now and then to show that he was at least listening. Robbie began walking across a street crossing, and looked back to see Ziggy standing behind with wide eyes.

“Wait, Robbie! Come back!”

Robbie turned back to the sidewalk, and frowned, “Did you forget something?”

Ziggy shook his head, and reached up with his right hand desperately, “No, my mommy just told me to _never_ walk across the street without holding a grown up or a big kid’s hand!”

Robbie couldn’t help the small bubble of laughter from escaping his lips, and he took the little boy’s hand in his gently, “Alright, come on.”

The two of them continued on their way, and the fact that Ziggy held his hand the rest of the way home did not go unnoticed by Robbie. They got to Ziggy’s house safely, and the boy’s mother thanked him. Ziggy gave Robbie another hug goodbye, and a kiss on the cheek (to which Robbie stuttered and went red, and his mother laughed). Robbie went on his way then, heading in the direction of his lair. Glancing up as he passed through town, he saw Sportacus sitting up on the door of his ship again. He made a disgusted face as the elf waved, and went on his way without responding. If only he knew that Sportacus had seen him take Ziggy home…

The elf fiddled with his moustache curiously. He had seen Robbie take Ziggy home every now and then, but he had never actually seen him be so kind before. Perhaps it happened whenever he was not around, because despite all of the tricks the man had played on them, the kids did seem rather fond of him. Had he really just never noticed before, or was it more obvious than it used to be? Sportacus hummed to himself, wondering what that man’s motives were. He had to find out. Maybe Robbie knew something about the wards!

Jumping down from his ship, Sportacus ran to catch up to Robbie.

“Hey Robbie!”

Robbie screeched and twisted on himself in fear, grabbing his chest as if to stop his heart from trying to escape. When he saw it was Sportacus, he stiffened and glared.

_”Stop doing that!”_ Robbie hissed. “Are you _trying_ to kill me?”

Sportacus laughed and tilted his head, “No, sorry for startling you! I just wanted to ask you something.”

“What is it?” Robbie was irritated at him. 

“Do you know anything about…magic?” Sportacus asked slowly.

Robbie visibly stiffened, “Nope.”

Sportacus’ eyes squinted at his reply. Generally if he asked an adult that question, they would laugh and say it was absurd or ask if he was kidding around. There had been a few times they would know magic existed, but admit they knew nothing about it. But Robbie, just denied without any explanation.

“Do you believe in magic?” Sportacus prodded.

“Look, Sportacus, if you want to know how I got that coin in Stingy’s pocket, there are plenty of books in the library-“

“No, no,” Sportacus cut Robbie off. “I don’t mean that, I meant _real_ magic. Like, spells, and…wards.”

Robbie’s lip twitched, and his voice went up a little, “You’re crazy.”

“You aren’t answering the question,” Sportacus grinned.

Robbie huffed, “I don’t have to. Now leave me alone.”

“So you do believe in magic, but you don’t want to admit it!” Sportacus exclaimed. “Why not?”

Robbie groaned, “I should just go back to the moon…no one can interrogate me there.”

“Come on Robbie, do you know anything about magical wards?” Sportacus asked. “Because I think this town is covered in one, but I don’t know who-“

“If there is a magic ward _then maybe you should listen to it_ ,” Robbie growled.

Sportacus frowned as Robbie spoke, and he stared at the man’s expression. Sportacus sighed, knowing that it probably would not be wise to provoke him further if he wanted answers. He was almost positive Robbie knew something about the wards now.

“Well, I guess I’ll go back to my ship,” Sportacus said, not missing Robbie’s relieved exhale. “Oh, and that was really nice what you did for Pixel and Ziggy.”

Robbie froze and turned on his heel, “You _saw_ that- HEY I’M NOT DONE! GET BACK HERE!”

Sportacus waved at Robbie as he ran back to his ship, “Goodbye, Robbie! Make sure to eat something healthy!”

Robbie grumbled under his breath as he stared after the elf, his hands clenched at his sides. As he turned to go back home, Robbie could not help but feel both irritated and touched that Sportacus was concerned for his health.

Smacking the back of his head, Robbie jolted himself out of his thoughts, “No. I’m not going to fall for that _again_.”

He couldn’t let history repeat itself.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, funny story about this chapter. I wrote most of it last night at about 1 in the morning (I know, Sportacus would be ashamed), and I went to push save so I could go to bed. But I accidentally pushed print, and so our printer started printing seven pages of this nonsense in the middle of the living room. My mom is also a night owl, and so she was awake. SO, I basically flew out of bed to get the papers before she saw, and I get in there to see her holding them with this confused look on her face. Then, she hands them to me and says "I saw the name Sportacus, and so I assumed these were yours." And I was just like, "...ThanksgoodnightIloveyou."
> 
> Yeah. That is my life.

Sportacus woke up at 8:08 with a smile on his face, and immediately sat up and stretched his arms above his head with a yawn. He felt much more refreshed than the previous day, even if he did have a lot on his mind. As he went through his morning routine he pondered how to go about things. It was a nice day outside, albeit cold, and that put _him_ in a good mood. However, Robbie was the one he wanted to be in a better mood, because that was necessary if he was going to get anything out of the man. Robbie was like time bomb; one minute he’s fine, and then the next he’s screaming at everyone to shut up. Sportacus would definitely have to tread carefully on that fine line between getting enough information and being too pushy that Robbie refuses to answer. There was also the fact that Robbie may not _want_ to answer him at all, and if that was the case the task would be one that takes weeks or months as opposed to days. 

Sportacus’s eyebrows furrowed as he brushed his teeth absentmindedly. 

This was going to be quite the ordeal.

While Sportacus was busy brushing his teeth in the sky, another man was just sitting down to go to bed. Robbie let out a wide-mouthed yawn, a wrench falling from his fingers and clattering onto the ground. At least he managed to fix his heating system before the next freeze, even if it did take him all night. Robbie rubbed his eyes tiredly, glancing at the clock beside him. He knew what time it was before he even glanced at the clock, but seeing the numbers glow in front of him caused visions of blue elves to appear in his head.

Robbie snorted, “Good morning Sportaflop.”

Yawning once more, Robbie’s head fell to the side and he nearly melted into the chair as he slept. The man managed to get in twenty minutes of sleep when he was abruptly jolted out of his dreams by a loud banging noise. Robbie stumbled out of the chair, running into various objects because he had yet to actually open his eyes, and made his way to his pipeline. He rubbed his eyes harshly and looked out to see that all of the children had started making makeshift drums out of trashcans and benches. Robbie loved those kids, but they had the _worst_ timing. 

Robbie nearly collapsed onto the ground as he whined in despair, “Why me? Why is it always me?”

With a growl, Robbie glanced back to where the children were playing. He was not prepared to see a dash of blue go by his line of sight, indicating that Sportacus had joined the children in their playing. _Wonderful._ That was exactly what he didn’t need. 

“It’s disguise time,” Robbie muttered to himself.

He snapped his fingers, and was adorned with a simple (yet believable) disguise. He decided to go with a police officer this time, figuring that he would be able to get them to do what he wanted much faster. Robbie yawned as he made his way to town. Exhaustion was his middle name. As he got to town, he was pleased to find that nobody had left the area that they were in before. Straightening up a bit and making himself feel taller than he already was, Robbie waltzed over to where the children (and the elf) were.

“Excuse me!” he said in a commanding tone. “What exactly do you think you are doing?”

They all looked at him in confusion, at least until Sportacus’ expression lightened up and he smirked. _That damn elf! He knows it’s me!_

“We are just playing!” Stephanie said with a smile.

“Yes, well, you aren’t allowed to bang on objects in this area of town!” Robbie said, pointing his index finger at the objects. “So you need to go somewhere else!”

“Ok, okay officer!” Stephanie said, shrugging to herself. “Come on guys, let’s move all the stuff towards my house!”

The children all ran off with their possessions, and Robbie sighed in relief.

“Hello _officer_.” 

Robbie jumped, remembering that the elf was still behind him. _Wait, did Sportacus really not know it was him?_ Robbie frowned a bit.

“Er, yes,” he said slowly. “Hi.”

“I don’t remember seeing you here before!” Sportacus said excitedly, leaning against an apple tree with a raised eyebrow. “What is your name?”

Robbie stuttered, “Oh…er…my name? My name is er…Officer…Obtuse!”

“Obtuse? What an interesting name!” Sportacus smirked. “Well, nice to meet you, Officer _Obtuse_.”

Robbie could not help but feel a bit annoyed at Sportacus, because he knew for a fact that the elf was aware of his disguise. He could tell by his tone of voice, and the way he casually leaned against the tree instead of flippity-flopping around him in curiosity like all elves did. Robbie ripped of his fake mustache with a sneer, and Sportacus feined shock with a gasp.

“Robbie Rotten!” he exclaimed.

“Would you stop that, I know you know it was me,” Robbie muttered, his face going red. “This was not my most convincing disguise.”

Sportacus chuckled, “The children seemed to believe it.”

“They did.”

Sportacus raised an eyebrow, “Why do you keep doing this though? You could have just asked them to move, and they probably would have.”

“Because I can,” Robbie replied. “If I’m going to go out of my way to do something, then I’m going to go _out of my way_ ”

Sportacus smiled, watching as Robbie removed his hat, and Sportacus stood there in shock for a moment. He had never seen Robbie with a bead head before, but he could now say that he was glad he did. It was _adorable_.

“I’ve never seen you with your hair like that, Robbie,” Sportacus stated, cocking his head to the side as he began to circle Robbie.

Old habits die hard, he supposed. When elves got curious, the generally got a little overly excited and would forget what personal space meant. It was simply how they were, much like Pixies (although they did not admit it). Elves were easily fascinated, he supposed.

“What?” Robbie questioned. “What are you talking about?”

“Your bed head,” Sportacus chuckled.

Time seemed to freeze for a brief moment, and then Robbie let out an inhuman shriek. His hands flew up to his hair, which was tousled and unkempt.

“DON’T LOOK!” Robbie screeched, dropping the hat and moustache on the ground. “Stop staring at me! This is…this is _not_ appropriate!”

He pulled a mirror out of _nowhere_ and gasped, “I look so…so…”

“Sleepy, that’s what you look like,” Sportacus finished. “Go to bed, Robbie, and get some sleep.”

Robbie’s shoulders sagged, and he turned to go back to his lair, “Yeah…I’ll do that.”

Sportacus watched as Robbie stumbled towards the direction of his house, and smiled. _That’s kind of cute…_ Sportacus jumped, shaking his head at the foreign thoughts. Robbie? Cute? Well, it was not incorrect, but it was still a bit disconcerting to think about. Besides, Robbie hated him anyway. Elves mated for life, after all, and their lives were not short. Robbie would likely die long before Sportacus got a single grey hair, and that would be hard on both of them.

Shaking his head once more, Sportacus ran back to where the children were. Maybe playing some games would help get rid of those unnecessary thoughts.

~*~

Sportacus did not see Robbie until later in the evening, right after he’d eaten supper. The man was simply walking around town, his finger tapping his chin in thought. Then, out of nowhere he doubled over with a grunt, his hands flying up to his back in pain. Sportacus dashed over to him, gripping Robbie’s upper arms and asking what was wrong. Robbie jolted, his left hand going up to shove against Sportacus’ chest harshly. The two of them stood there for a moment, processing what had just happened. Sportacus was surprised at the strength behind Robbie’s shove, and Robbie was trying to calm himself down.

“Don’t _do_ that!” Robbie hissed, straightening up. 

“Sorry Robbie!” Sportacus said, his hands reaching towards Robbie once more in concern.

“Don’t touch me.”

Sportacus let his hands drop, “Are you alright?”

Robbie sighed in irritation, but nodded, “I’m fine, just a little back pain.”

“If you want I can show you some stretches that might help-“

“No thanks.”

“Or I could take you to the doctor and see-“

“Nope.”

Sportacus huffed, “Robbie, you almost fell over a second ago in pain!”

“It’s fine, it happens all of the time,” Robbie muttered. “It’s been that way since I was younger, nothing for you to worry about.”

Sportacus rubbed the bridge of his nose. Robbie was _impossible_. It’s almost like he wanted to suffer! Sportacus’ eyes opened wide at the thought. Did Robbie hate himself? That would explain a few things, but it would also raise a lot of questions.

“Robbie, do you…do you like being in pain?” Sportacus whispered slowly.

“W-what? What kind of a question is that?!” Robbie looked offended. “Why the hell would I like being in pain?”

Sportacus frowned, “I just mean, why else would you not want to get help for something that’s causing you to hurt?”

“Have you ever considered the option that maybe I _tried_ , but nothing helped?” Robbie growled out, obviously upset. “That maybe, just _maybe_ , I’m doomed to be this way forever?”

Sportacus took a step back, his heart hurting from the man’s words. No wonder Robbie was so grouchy all of the time! He didn’t sleep correctly, his back hurt, he didn’t eat properly… The list probably continued from there! 

“Has it ever occurred to you that perhaps my constant, writhing pain is caused by something that is incurable, and that I live every single day of my life trying not to succumb to the thoughts of self-loathing that never cease to plague my mind?” Robbie’s voice was cold. “Think before you speak, _elf.”_

“I’m sorry Robbie, I didn’t mean to offend you!” Sportacus quickly cut in. “I just don’t like seeing you hurt.”

Robbie stiffened, giving the elf a calculating gaze. The man looked Sportacus up and down, carefully observing every inch of him. Sportacus could almost see gears in Robbie’s mind turning. He had seen the man do this before, but it was generally when he was working on a machine. Was Robbie analyzing him? Interesting.

“Why do you care, all of a sudden?” Robbie muttered suspiciously, walking past Sportacus.

Sportacus frowned and followed, “What do you mean all of a sudden? I’ve always cared!”

Robbie rolled his eyes, “Yeah, sure.”

The two of them continued to walk along the paths in Lazytown, simply wasting time. It was kind of nice, if the two of them were being honest. It was quiet, the weather was not too cold, and Sportacus did not feel so affected by the ward. He couldn’t help but feel troubled by Robbie’s words, however, and he knew that he needed to fix the way the man thought about him. Robbie also seemed to have curled up on himself a bit more than usual. His arms were folded in a way to where they wrapped around his stomach as though trying to support himself. His expression wavered now and then in such a way that Sportacus assumed meant he was still in pain, and the elf could not help but pity him. What was wrong with Robbie, exactly? 

“Do you need some help?” Sportacus questioned cautiously, not wanting to irk the man further.

“With what?” Robbie snorted. “You can’t help me.”

“I can try,” the elf insisted. “Please, Robbie, I don’t like seeing you like this!”

Robbie glared at Sportacus, “I always look like this. Why have you suddenly started paying attention to my behavior?”

Sportacus sighed, and did not answer. Robbie was very stubborn, but he was also very smart. Sportacus did not want Robbie to figure out that he was trying to get answers from him, so he had to be careful choosing his words. Robbie was also very defensive, it seemed, which gave Sportacus even more reason to believe that the man knew something. Nobody was secretive unless they had something to hide.

“Sportaflop, why do you keep following me around?” Robbie questioned with a huff. “It’s annoying.”

“Oh,” Sportacus said in surpise. “I didn’t even realize I was following you, I’m sorry!”

“Right,” Robbie rolled his eyes, “Shouldn’t you be getting ready for bed? It’s already seven fifty.”

Sportacus nearly answered when a thought struck him, and he stared at Robbie in shock. Robbie had been looking ahead of him during their entire walk. There was no sign of a wristwatch on the man, nor were there any visible clocks in town. Sportacus glanced down at his wrist gear, seeing that it was indeed seven fifty. 

“How…?” Sportacus thought out loud. 

Robbie turned to him in confusion, “What?”

“How do you know what time it is?” Sportacus asked, tilting his head.

Robbie simply stared at him for a long moment, confusion clear as day on his face. Both of them stood in the middle of town, staring at each other in silent bewilderment. Finally, Robbie cleared his throat awkwardly, before leaning away from the elf.

“What do you _mean?_ ” Robbie asked slowly, obviously trying to figure out what was going on. “It’s obviously almost eight.”

“But you don’t have a clock!” Sportacus said curiously, a smile slowly forming on his face. “You mean you just _know_ what time it is? Like, all of the time?”

“You mean to tell me,” Robbie began. “That you can’t?”

“No, I can’t.” Sportacus shook his head. “I mean, I know what general time it is…but not by the minute exactly!”

“So it’s not a common talent then?” Robbie’s eyes widened, “Well, that explains a lot.”

Sportacus laughed a bit, “Robbie, that’s amazing! I’ve never met anyone who could do that before!”

“I-It’s not that amazing,” Robbie muttered, his cheeks flushing in sheepishness. 

“It really is!” Sportacus exclaimed, clapping Robbie on the back.

Nothing could prepare Sportacus for the reaction he received. 

Robbie immediately recoiled, inhaling sharply as he staggered back before collapsing. He heaved and convulsed, his hands grapping the opposite arm tightly. His knuckles grew white as he clenched his hands and teeth in pain, and his eyes were shut so tightly it looked painful. The color in Sportacus’ face drained when he realized what he had done, and he immediately fell beside the man in concern. His crystal was glimmering, indicating Robbie in trouble but not going off since he was already there.

“Robbie!” he cried out, not knowing how to go about the situation. “Oh no…are you alright? I’m so sorry, I forgot-“

 _”Shut up!”_ Robbie cried out, his voice shaking. “Just get away from me!”

“Robbie, I’m sorry!” Sportacus choked out. “I…what can I do?”

 _”Leave!”_ Robbie growled out, his eyes opening to reveal tears. 

Sportacus shook his head, frowning. He was not going to keep letting Robbie tell him that, especially in this situation. The man needed to understand that he was not going anywhere.

“No, I’m not leaving you like this!” Sportacus frowned, reaching towards Robbie’s shoulders. “Come on-“

 _”NEI!”_ Robbie smacked Sportacus’ hands away, his voice cracking as tears fell from his eyes. “Stop _touching_ me! _Helvíti!”_

Robbie doubled over from the movement he had made when he smacked Sportacus’ hand, his forehead touching the ground. He was nearly hyperventilating at this point, which worried Sportacus even more. 

“Robbie please, let me help you get home,” Sportacus said gently, reaching towards Robbie…but not touching.

Robbie recoiled from Sportacus even more, like he was afraid of being hurt. Sportacus frowned, remembering that this wasn’t the first time Robbie behaved that way. Robbie hated Sportacus touching him, for whatever reason, even when he was stuck on a billboard or a tree. It was like…he was _afraid_ of _Sportacus_. The thought caused Sportacus to feel sullen and concerned, and he felt as though he could not do anything to help.

“Robbie, I’m….I’m not going to hurt you,” Sportacus whispered. “I promise.”

Robbie shook his head, choking out a nearly silent sob of pain, “I won’t…not again.”

_Again?_

Sportacus carefully, and slowly, placed his fingertips over the top of Robbie’s tightly-clenched ones. He felt Robbie seize up slightly in shock, but Sportacus hoped that Robbie understood the gesture.

“Robbie, please,” Sportacus whispered. “Let me help you.”

Time stood still for a long moment. Sportacus was nervous hoping Robbie would listen to reason, and Robbie was trying to calm himself down enough to be able to actually think. Slowly, Robbie moved to sit up a bit, however he was still hunched over from the searing pain spreading across his body. Sportacus tried not to gasp at Robbie’s pained expression, and the tears spilling from his eyes. Robbie was gasping for air, and Sportacus knew exactly what to do. Robbie was having a slight panic attack.

“Robbie, listen to me,” Sportacus said softly. “Breath in, and breath out. Slowly, with me, okay? Breath in…”

Robbie tried to mimic Sportacus with difficulty, but after a few minutes he had gotten his breathing under control. He was shaking violently at this point, and was still in a great deal of pain.

“Okay, I’m going to pick you up,” Sportacus said gently. “Do you want to me to carry you, or give you a piggy-back?”

Robbie swallowed, “P-piggy-back.”

Sportacus nodded, and moved to crouch in front of Robbie. The man slowly reached up to wrap around Sportacus’ neck, and Sportacus swiftly grabbed Robbie’s legs and stood. After a small amount of shuffling the two were situated, and Sportacus began making his way to Robbie’s lair. He could feel Robbie’s erratic heartbeat against his back, and the way the he trembled. 

“Are you…going to be okay?” Sportacus asked with concern.

Robbie nodded against the elf’s shoulder, “I just…need to take some pain medication.”

“What kind do you take? I can get it for you, so you don’t have to move around so much,” Sportacus offered.

“It’s just ibuprofen, nothing strange,” Robbie said, before chuckling as he wiped the remainder of his tears away. “I never thought I’d hear you tell me not to move around.”

Sportacus frowned, “You’re hurt, and it’s because of me.”

“It’s…not your fault,” Robbie said softly, tensing up a little. “You just aggravated it by whacking me in between my shoulder blades.”

Sportacus pouted, wanting to argue that he didn’t _whack_ Robbie, but perhaps he didn’t know his own strength. He supposed he had to be gentler with Robbie, kind of like Ziggy and Stephanie. He peeked back at Robbie, and his eyes widened at the sight of the man laying his cheek on Sportacus’ shoulder.

“Are you still sleepy?” he questioned curiously.

“I’m always tired,” Robbie muttered. “But my back hurts less when I’m not lifting my head.”

Sportacus nodded in understanding, and was relieved when he saw the billboard come into view. He couldn’t help but notice that the wards were still not as strong as they had been the day before, which was kind of strange. As he got to the opening of the lair, he was happy to see a ladder. He did not want to just jump in with an injured person on his back, so he slowly climbed down. Once they got inside, he glanced around trying to decide where to put Robbie.

“Chair,” Robbie said, as if reading his thoughts.

Sportacus nodded, and took him over to the orange chair. Robbie let go, and situated himself into the piece of furniture. He looked up at Sportacus with a raised eyebrow.

“Yes?”

“Where is your medicine?” Sportacus asked.

“Oh, it’s in the cabinet in the back room to your right,” Robbie said.

Sportacus nodded and ran to the other room. When he got inside, he noticed that he had arrived in Robbie’s bedroom. However, it appeared to be almost unused, or at least that was the vibe Sportacus got from it. The air seemed stale, and everything had a layer of dust. Sportacus shook his head and looked for a cabinet, seeing one to his left. He opened it and gasped in shock at the amount of medicine in it. Robbie really must have trouble with back pain, because nobody should have that great of an amount of ibuprofen in their cabinet. Taking a bottle out and walking back to the man, he watched as Robbie opened it and dumped the container in his mouth.

“Robbie!” Sportacus nearly screamed. “Why-“

“Relax, Sportaflop,” Robbie muttered. “I always take that much.”

“Robbie, that was _half a bottle_ -“

“Damn, only half? That’s going to take longer to kick in…” Robbie growled, closing his eyes in pain.

Sportacus’ mouth hung open in horror. He was having trouble processing what had just happened.

“Are you just going to stand there forever, or are you waiting to attack me again?” Robbie asked darkly, opening an eye to peer at Sportacus. 

“I…what…?” Sportacus stammered. “Robbie that could kill you!”

“Nah,” Robbie waved a hand. 

“How-“

“Doesn’t matter, I don’t feel like explaining,” Robbie tried to relax into the chair. 

Sportacus frowned, shuffling on his feet nervously, “Well…is there anything else you need? I’ll stay and help you-“

“No,” Robbie interrupted. “I will be fine.”

Sportacus nodded, but he could not bring himself to move. Robbie opened his eyes to see concern plain on Sportacus’ face, and he could not help but let his own expression soften. It seemed that the elf felt bad for what had happened _which he should_ , but Robbie was somewhat touched. Not that he would ever admit it aloud.

“I’m fine, Sportacus,” Robbie sighed. “The pain is already going away.”

Sportacus nodded, “Alright…I guess I will, see you tomorrow?”

Robbie shrugged, wincing when he did, “We’ll see.”

Sportacus finally turned to leave the lair, pausing when Robbie called his name. Turning around, he answered, “Yes?”

“Could you get my blanket from the floor, please?” Robbie asked, red from embarrassment.

Sportacus smiled and nodded, running back to get the blanket. He put it on Robbie, much to the man’s annoyance.

“Good night, Robbie,” Sportacus said. “And I’m sorry for hurting you.”

Robbie stared at the elf as he left, trying to calm his rapidly beating heart. Why was Sportacus so confusing? One second he was hitting Robbie on the back, and the next he was babying him like he was made of glass. Was it possible that perhaps the elf was not really as bad as he seemed? Did he really just not know his own strength?

“No,” Robbie whispered to himself darkly. “Don’t think like that Robbie. Getting hopeful will only bring you more pain.”

Robbie sighed and leaned back in his chair, grabbing the TV remote and turning on something to pass the time. Why was the elf being so curious? Why was he suddenly so concerned? It was a bit suspicious, if Robbie was being honest, and he could not help but have doubts of the elf’s sincerity. A few miles away, Sportacus had just entered his ship. As he got himself ready for bed, he thought about what had just occurred. 

Why was Robbie in so much pain? And how the heck could he take that much medicine without getting sick? That man was full of so many secrets that the elf had not been aware of, and it was driving him crazy not knowing the answers. He was _definitely_ going to check on Robbie tomorrow, just to be safe. Sportacus lay down in his bed, and closed his eyes to go to sleep. It was a few minutes past his usual bedtime, but considering the circumstances he was not concerned.

_Wait…_

Sportacus’ eyes flew open, and he nearly choked on his own saliva.

_Did Robbie curse in…Elvish?_


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THE RUMOR COME OUT. Does Robbie Rotten is Fae? ;) Whoo boy, this is a longer chapter. I just sort of vomited words because I needed a distraction from my current daily issues, and the story just kept writing itself. Also, I am a sucker for adorable Ziggy. The comic version of his character is adorable, and the puppet does not do him justice.

Sportacus was not in one of his better moods when he awoke the next day. In fact, if he didn’t know any better, he would consider himself _peeved_. The amount of things that he only just began to notice was growing with each passing breath, and every time he discovered something else he only felt annoyed for not noticing before. _This is getting ridiculous_ , he thought to himself as he ate a slice of watermelon. At this point, if the world were having a contest for most idiotic superheroes, he would win first place with no questions asked.

To begin with things he had failed to notice during that couple of years he had been in Lazytown, the first and most confusing was the fact that a giant magical ward hung over the entire area. The second thing he failed to notice was how much pain Robbie Rotten was in, although he still did not know what the cause was. The third was that fact that Robbie seemed to either be afraid of him, or he just hated him so much he did not want to be touched by Sportacus. The fourth and final thing was that Robbie knew _Elvish_ of all things! How in the seven hells did Robbie know _Elvish?_

Sportacus shook his head, “I have to get to the bottom of this!”

The most concerning part of this ordeal was the fact that Sportacus was so slow in discovering these facts! He had never been this oblivious to anything in his life, but since arriving to Lazy Town he had started overlooking things that otherwise would have seemed strange. It was almost like there was something so obvious staring him in the face, and he could not see it! Elves were naturally very curious creatures, and it was extremely rare for an elf to miss anything, especially not something important. This was a great concern for Sportacus, and he was one hundred percent sure that the magical wards had something to do with it. Magical wards were a way to keep unwanted people out of a certain area. Generally it was because someone had something to hide, so perhaps whoever cast the ward was trying to keep Sportacus from noticing something. The elf could only feel his concern grow at the thought. _What if it was something that could hurt Robbie or the kids?_

He had to find answers, and he needed to find them quickly.

After giving the town residents a customary “good morning”, Sportacus made his way towards Robbie’s lair. He needed to check up on the man to make sure he was alright, and hopefully gain some new information on what was going on. Robbie had apparently lived in Lazy Town for a long time, according to the mayor, so he _had_ to have some sort of insight. Or at least, Sportacus hoped he did.

Knocking on the hatch of Robbie’s lair, Sportacus called the other’s name. Upon receiving no reply he repeated his actions, hoping for a different response. Robbie did not answer, so Sportacus assumed he was still asleep. Opening the hatch and going down the shoot, Sportacus flipped into Robbie’s lair. Turning towards the orange chair the elf was surprised (and also not surprised) to see that the man was still in the same position he had been when Sportacus had left the night before. Robbie’s head was lying back against the chair, his face void of any expression. 

Sportacus felt himself draw closer to the man, and he could not help but stare at Robbie’s features. Sportacus had never actually looked this closely at Robbie before. He had never noticed that Robbie had purple-tinted eyelids, and long black eyelashes. It almost looked like he was wearing makeup, but if he had been it would have surely smudged by that point. No, these were simply features on Robbie’s face, and they were beautiful. Robbie’s hair was not as tousled as it had been the other day, but it had been slightly disturbed by the man’s slumber. Sportacus circled the chair calculatingly, his head tilting as he stopped by Robbie’s right side. Leaning forward, he could not help but notice the man’s ears, and the elf felt his eyebrows furrow in curiosity. Robbie’s ears were rounded like a human’s, but the way the tips tilted away from his head was…curious. He had seen human ears do that before, but for some reason this seemed different. Sportacus also noticed the way that the corners of Robbie’s mouth were slightly tilted upwards, so even when he frowned it almost looked like he was smiling. Sportacus had actually noticed that beforehand, when he had first met Robbie. The man’s eyebrows had been furrowed like he was frowning, but his mouth was grinning in an almost mischievous way. Sportacus felt like he should know the reason that Robbie’s facial expressions were as whimsical as they were, but the elf was having another relapse in memory. Leaning in more closely to the point that the elf could actually smell Robbie’s scent, albeit faint, he noticed how Robbie did not seem to have any facial hair whatsoever other than his eyebrows. That was definitely strange! Sportacus caught a whiff of something familiar, and his eyes closed as he began searching for the source of the smell. The elf had not been prepare for the hand the smacked him in the face, and a raspy voice to start screaming at him.

 _”WHAT ARE YOU DOING?”_ Robbie shrieked at the elf, who was now on the floor.

Sportacus looked up to see Robbie standing over him with an expression that could kill, slightly disoriented from being awoken. 

“I-I…” Sportacus stuttered, his mouth opening in shock at what he had just done. “Oh…Robbie I’m so sorry, I didn’t m-mean…”

Robbie put his hands on his hips, leaning on one leg with his nose turned up, “Were you _sniffing_ me?”

Sportacus blushed at being caught, ashamed of himself for not being able to control his instincts. Sure, elves were generally touchy beings, but that gave him no right to barge into Robbie’s lair and start _scenting him_.

_His scent is just so intoxicatingly sweet…like a drug._

“Hello-o! Earth to Sportastupid!” Robbie’s hand was waving in front of the elf’s face, breaking Sportacus out of his trance.

“Sorry!” Sportacus exclaimed quickly. “I just came to check up on you!”

Robbie leaned back, his head tilting downwards to peer up at the man with an unconvinced expression. The man’s eyebrow lifted, his hands still on his hips.

“And was smelling me part of your checking process?” Robbie interrogated, unamused.

Sportacus started to shift on his feet, feeling his heart race in nervousness. _Oh boy…_ His adrenaline was kicking in like someone was in trouble, and he felt like a child who had eaten to much candy. _Well, Robbie’s scent does smell a lot like sugar-_

“Sniffing? What? When did that happen?” Sportacus stammered, laughing nervously.

Sportacus could feel his ears twitch underneath his cap as Robbie continued to peer at him. He began to fidget, shifting from one foot to the other, and wriggling his toes within the confines of his shoes.

“My god, can you just not stand still?” Robbie huffed, reaching out to place his hands on Sportacus’ shoulders to hold him in place. “You’re giving me a headache!”

“Sorry, I-I just had a lot of sportscandy this morning!” Sportacus half-lied. “But really, are you alright? You really looked like you were in a lot of pain last night…”

Robbie rolled his eyes, but his gaze had softened, “Yes, I’m fine now. You can go.”

Sportacus shook his head, “No!”

Robbie raised his eyebrow again, “Come again?”

“I just thought…” Sportacus cleared his throat. “Erm, the kids wanted to build snowmen today, and I wondered if maybe you would join us!”

“What-?” Robbie gawked at him, “Are you out of your mind?”

Sportacus laughed nervously, “No! If you don’t want to you I understand, but I thought it would be nice.”

Robbie tapped his chin for a moment, “Hm. What’s in it for me?”

Sportacus’ eyes widened. Robbie was considering it? Really? If Sportacus knew it would be this easy to spend time with the man, he would have done it ages ago! 

“Um…” Sportacus thought for a long moment, before grinning. “Cookies?”

The way Robbie’s eyes glazed over and his upper lip quivered did not go unnoticed by Sportacus, nor did the way the man’s fingers wriggled in excitement. _So sugar is a surefire way to get Robbie to agree to something? Good to know._

“What _kind_ of cookies?” Robbie inquired, swaying on his feet a little.

“I’m so glad you asked, Robbie!” Sportacus proclaimed with a smile. “Because I have no idea!”

Robbie guffawed before clamping a hand over his mouth, which did not manage to stifle any of his giggling. Sportacus could not stop staring at the man, feeling intriguingly drawn to the man’s laughter. Robbie always snickered or chuckled at Sportacus, but it was very rare that he actually _laughed_ ; especially in front of him.

“How about you tell me what kind you want, and I can have Stephanie help me figure out how to bake them!” Sportacus said.

“That’s an absolutely horrific idea,” Robbie smirked, turning around to walk across the room.

Sportacus watched as Robbie pulled out a coat and scarf, both stitched with his initials, “What do you mean?”

“She is what, eleven? Twelve?” Robbie spoke over his shoulder as he put his coat on. 

“Yes, but she can cook very well!” Sportacus said proudly. “She’s made cakes before-“

“With help,” Robbie cut in. “From me.”

“From you?” Sportacus questioned. “What about that time all of the kids baked that cake for Bessie’s birthday couple of years ago?”

“It’s because of me that they did not burn that building down,” Robbie muttered, looking around his lair with a frown. “Where are my gloves?”

Sportacus had to look away when Robbie bent over to look under a desk, “Then why did you steal it?”

Robbie abruptly stood with his gloves, “Found them! Hvað segir þú?”

Sportacus opened his mouth to answer, but stopped when he realized what Robbie had just asked him. _Did he just ask me to repeat myself in elvish?_ Sportacus walked towards Robbie as the man pulled on his gloves, and jumped when he reached up and pulled down a mirror from seemingly _nowhere_. Where had that mirror even come from? Robbie was fixing his hair before pulling on a pair of orange earmuffs, making sure that he looked presentable. It was a bit endearing, honestly.

“Why did you steal the cake?” Sportacus inquired, definitely not staring at Robbie. “And go through all that trouble with the detective disguise?”

Shoving the mirror away with a smirk, Robbie leaned down to where he was eye level with the elf. 

_”That,”_ Robbie began before poking Sportacus on the nose. “Is a very good question.”

Robbie turned around and began walking up the stairs towards his hatch. Sportacus stared at the man in shock, his ears turning red. _Did Robbie hit his head last night?_ Maybe all that medicine had caught up with Robbie, and he was actually losing his ability to function. Not to mention the fact that he could speak _Elvish?_ Where did he even learn that?

“Are you coming, Sportaloser?” Robbie called from his hatch, and Sportacus shook his head vigorously.

Nah, Robbie was just strange, “I’m coming!”

As the two of them walked towards the town, Sportacus noticed Robbie chewing on something.

“What are you eating?” Sportacus asked. 

Robbie grinned and blew a large pink bubble, and startled Sportacus when it popped, “Bubblegum.”

Sportacus frowned, “That’s not a very healthy way to start the day-“

“Sure it is,” Robbie shrugged. “I need sugar.”

Sportacus rolled his eyes and crossed his arms, “No you don’t.”

“Yes I do.”

“No you don’t.”

“I _really_ do.”

Sportacus’ eyes glinted with something akin to annoyance for a moment, and Robbie snickered at his victory. This had not been the first time the two of them had bickered about this particular topic, and Sportacus quickly learned Robbie only did it to get under his skin. It _did_ work, as much as he did not want to admit it. However, this was the first time Sportacus actually thought to ask Robbie a question he should have thought of before.

“Robbie?”

“Hm?” Robbie hummed in response.

“Do you _want_ sugar,” Sportacus began, looking away from the man in thought. “Or do you _need_ it?”

There was moment of silence between the two of them, and Sportacus turned to see Robbie peering at him with his peripheral vision. The man blew another bubble and smirked.

“Another good question.”

Sportacus frowned, and debated whether or not to keep asking or just leave it be. The two of them drew nearer to the town, and Sportacus pretended not to notice Robbie continue to blow bubbles. The voices of children were heard as the made their way to the park, seeing all of the kids already building snowmen. Sportacus technically had not been lying when he said that the kids wanted to build snowmen, even if he originally invited Robbie as an excuse to why he had been there. 

“Hi Robbie!” Ziggy exclaimed when he saw them. “Are you going to help us build a scary snowmonster snowman?”

Robbie shrugged, “I guess I am.”

“YAY!” Ziggy yelled, running up to Robbie and tugging at his pants. “Come on! We’ve already started on his belly!”

As Robbie let himself be maneuvered by the small boy, Sportacus could not help but smile at the sight. One of the reasons Sportacus had never revealed the other man’s disguises to the kids was because of how much fun they had, especially when they figured out it had been him the entire time. He was almost certain Robbie had thought that as well, and went out of his way to dress up as a way to silently please the kids.

Sportacus followed the two of them shortly after, and began to help build the _scary snowmonster snowman_. It was not until Stephanie and Trixie went inside to get sportscandy and other items to decorate with that Robbie spoke to Sportacus again.

“Both.”

Sportacus glanced up at Robbie, who was currently helping Ziggy pat snow in its proper place.

“What?” Sportacus asked.

“Your question earlier,” Robbie said, gently taking Ziggy’s hands and showing him where to put snow. “The answer is both.”

Sportacus stared at the man, completely entranced. The sight before him should not exist, and yet it did. Robbie’s usual frown was replaced with something akin to contentment, and he was being so careful and gentle with Ziggy that Sportacus thought his heart would explode. Ziggy was bouncing excitedly in front of Robbie, who was crouched down to help, and was trying to put snow in the right spots without much success. Ziggy pouted when a large chunk fell out when he pat a bit too hard.

“Man,” Ziggy sighed. “I can’t do anything right…”

“Hey, what’s that frown for?” Robbie asked softly, poking the boy’s cheek. “I thought you were doing a great job!”

Ziggy gasped dramatically and turned around, “What- Really?!”

“Of course!” Robbie nodded, swiftly patting a bunch of snow in the gap that formed while Ziggy wasn’t looking. “Look at all of the work you’ve accomplished!”

Ziggy turned back to the snowman, and gasped again, “What- I did that?”

Robbie smiled, “Stupid, of course you did!”

Ziggy giggled and bounced on his feet, “I can’t believe I really did that!”

“Well, who else could it have been? Sportaflop?” Robbie gestured to Sportacus, who was smiling warmly at the two of them. 

“He’s way over there!” Ziggy exclaimed. “So…it really was me!”

Robbie pat Ziggy on the head, “You’ve been working really hard on this snowmonster.”

“Sportacus!” Ziggy exclaimed. “Look at what I did!”

Sportacus walked around to look at the lump of snow, and smiled wide, “That’s great, Ziggy! If you believe in yourself, you can do anything!”

“Hear that, Robbie? I can do anything!” Ziggy cried out, turning around to face Robbie

“You can,” Robbie taking Ziggy’s face in his hands with a soft smile. “Your face is so cold- Why don’t you go get some cocoa to warm up, and then come back out to help us finish?”

Ziggy nodded and gave Robbie a hug, “I’ll be right back!”

The boy ran off, and Robbie plopped back onto his butt in the snow with an exasperated sigh. Sportacus laughed and walked over to sit next to the other man.

“Why are children so _exhausting_?” Robbie whined, pulling out a piece of candy from his coat pocket. 

“That just means you’re doing a good job,” Sportacus snatched Robbie’s candy. “And that you’ve eaten too much sugar.”

Robbie frowned, “Were you not listening to me earlier? I told you I _need_ sugar-“

“And you never eat anything else?” Sportacus inquired. “I doubt that.”

Robbie’s eye twitched, “Actually, I really don’t.”

“You’re joking.”

Robbie shook his head, and slowly reached over and took back his piece of candy. Sportacus stared at him the whole time, and slowly his irritation and curiosity got the better of him.

 _”How are you not dead?!”_ Sportacus exclaimed, searching Robbie with his eyes in shock.

Robbie snickered, “That’s not a very good question, so I’m not answering."

Sportacus folded his arms, “You eat nothing but sugar, and you downed a bottle of pills last night! I am seriously concerned for your health!”

Robbie turned to look at the elf with an intense gaze, “Do I look unhealthy?”

Sportacus almost replied with a yes, but stopped himself to take a closer look at the man. He knew Robbie was very slim, which had always befuddled Sportacus considering his sugar intake, and he had very nice skin. Other than being a bit stiff and having a bad back, Robbie seemed to be in fairly decent shape. He was also much more active than he would ever admit considering all of the work he would put into trying to get rid of Sportacus, which the elf had always found slightly attractive. It was similar to how sports elves tried to find mates; by playing games and chasing the other around. Of course, Robbie probably had no idea about any of that, and so Sportacus simply ignored it. Then again…Robbie _did speak Elvish, apparently._

“You look tired,” Sportacus commented, pointing to Robbie’s shadowy eyes. “And yet you seem to sleep all of the time.”

Robbie rolled his eyes, “Yeah, yeah. I know.”

The two of them continued to sit and wait for the children to arrive. Sportacus drew in the snow with his finger a bit, and Robbie simply sat there with his arms wrapped around himself. It was cold outside, and he would be lying if he said he wasn’t a bit chilled. Sportacus noticed this, seeing the way the man curled in on himself to warm up. The position was all too familiar, having seen the man that way the night before while crying in pain.

“Robbie…?” Sportacus began softly.

Robbie turned to Sportacus, “Yes?”

“Are you…really okay?” Sportacus questioned gently, eyebrows furrowing in concern. “I…you were just in so much pain last night, and I-“

Sportacus froze when he felt a hand over his mouth. He looked over to see Robbie giving him a very strange look, one that he not seen before. Robbie was actually frowning, but not out of anger. It was more like, apprehension.

“Don’t worry about me,” Robbie muttered thickly. 

Sportacus’ voice was muffled against the other man’s hand, and the elf was beginning to grow annoyed. Robbie shook his head as he pulled his hand away.

“Look, I’ve been fine on my own for years,” Robbie said quietly. “Just mind your own business and everything will be peachy.”

“I can’t mind my own business,” Sportacus whined. “It’s nearly impossible.”

Robbie rolled his eyes, but did not respond. The other kids were returning from their small break, and had brought back decorations to use for the snowmonster. As they decorated the snow, Sportacus could not help but watch Robbie now and then. He appeared to be fine compared to last night, but honestly…that was more concerning than if he had been in pain. People with back pain like that don’t simply recover overnight, and yet here Robbie was! The elf could only hope that Robbie was not just taking painkillers so he would appear fine. 

“Hey Sportacus!” Stephanie said, turning to the elf. “When we finish decorating this snowmonster, do you want to help my uncle and I decorate our house for Christmas?”

Sportacus smiled and nodded, “Sure Stephanie! I would love to!”

“Will you come too, Robbie? You don’t have to decorate, but my uncle made cookies and I thought you might like some!” Stephanie asked Robbie with a smile. 

Robbie opened his mouth to reply when Ziggy loudly cut in, “Yeah! Can you read me that story you read last time? It’s my _favorite!”_  
Robbie’s shoulders sagged, and he nodded, “Alright. But you have to promise to be quiet while I’m reading this time.”

Ziggy nodded vigorously, “I will, I promise!”

They all finished building the snowmonster, and went into Stephanie’s house. Stingy and Pixel found out about everyone going to decorate for Christmas, and decided to join in a few minutes later. Sportacus had started hanging up a wreath in the kitchen, and when he turned around he saw Robbie stealing cookies from the countertop. His mouth was stuffed full, some pieces falling from his lips, and his eyes were wide like a deer caught in the headlights. Chewing quickly, Robbie swallowed and coughed as some crumbs went down the wrong way. Sportacus simply started laughing, because he looked like a little child caught in the act.

“T-this isn’t what it looks like!” Robbie held his hands up. “Those cookies were growing staler by the second, and so I saved them from their misery! Yes!”

The two of them heard giggling, and turned to see a pink and a blond head disappear from the doorway. Robbie groaned, obviously unhappy about being caught by _children_. Sportacus grinned at Robbie, knowing that those kids would never let him live it down.

“Robbie, you really need to stop eating so much sugar,” Sportacus chuckled. “You’re a bad example!”

Robbie looked genuinely offended, and he huffed as he stomped towards the elf, “I _told_ you that I need sugar!”

“Robbie, nobody needs sugar like that!” Sportacus rolled his eyes. “You just have an incurable sweet tooth.”

Robbie’s eyes glazed over a bit, his mind distant. Sportacus suddenly felt an unwelcomed feeling grow in the pit of his stomach, and he realized that he must have hurt Robbie’s feelings somehow. Frowning, the elf slowly went to stand directly in front of Robbie.

“Robbie…you mean to tell me that you actually need sugar? And that you aren’t just saying that because you like sugar?” Sportacus asked with wide eyes.

Robbie slowly nodded, a frown planted on his face. He was simply staring at the elf, unhappy, and waiting to see his response.

“But…why? That doesn’t make any sense!” Sportacus looked extremely troubled at this point. “Humans can’t survive on nothing but sugar!”

At that, Robbie smirked wickedly, and leaned closer to Sportacus. The elf could not help but feel slightly daunted. Robbie’s entire expression was so familiar to him, and yet he could not figure out where he had seen it before. Not to mention Robbie was getting _closer_ -

“Exactly,” Robbie’s voice was a near whisper. 

Robbie then poked Sportacus on the nose again, and disappeared out of the room. The elf stood there dumbfounded for a long time, and it took the mayor calling his name for him to snap out of it. Sportacus stood there bewildered for a bit longer before returning to his task of decorating, and he found himself thinking of his and Robbie’s transaction the entire time. If anything, he was thankful he had been able to put up the decorations, because his mind was not present. It took all afternoon to finish putting up the decorations, especially the lights outside. Sportacus jumped off of the roof as he finished putting up the lights, and went inside with a shiver. He was ready for some more of that sugarless cocoa that Stephanie had made him earlier in the day. Grabbing an apple off of the kitchen counter, he bit into it and walked to where the mayor stood.

“All finished!” Sportacus stated with a smile. 

“Already?” the mayor questioned in awe. “Wow! Well, Robbie and kids are all in the living room. I think they are making paper snowflakes.”

Sportacus nodded and walked towards the living room, stopping at the sight before him. Similar to how it had been a few days prior, Robbie and the kids were all sitting a circle. However, Sportacus could not help but notice that Ziggy was sitting in Robbie’s lap. 

“Hey Sportacus,” Trixie greeted the elf. “Want to help make snowflakes?”

“Sure!” Sportacus exclaimed. “I love making snowflakes!”

“Did you ever make them when you were a kid?” Stephanie asked curiously, meticulously cutting her own white piece of paper. 

“I did!” Sportacus stated, sitting in the open space beside Robbie. “I always tried to see how fast I could make them, but then they started looking a bit strange.”

The children all laughed, and Robbie smirked, “Not everything has to be done quickly- Where? Oh, okay.”

Sportacus turned, curious to see what Robbie was doing. He was holding his own piece of paper and a pair of scissors, and that was when Sportacus noticed that Ziggy did not. After a moment of watching the two of them, Sportacus realized that Robbie was cutting the snowflake _for_ Ziggy. However, he must have been watching them for a moment too long, because Robbie noticed.

“His mother doesn’t want him using scissors yet,” Robbie explained. 

Sportacus watched as Ziggy pointed to where he wanted the paper to be cut, and Robbie would do what he was told without hesitation. It was amazing how gentle Robbie could be with kids, especially when he made himself out to be a bad guy who wanted nothing to do with them. Plus, he appeared to be enjoying himself. Perhaps because it was fairly quiet. 

_So that was it!_ Robbie did not mind spending time with the children unless they were being noisy or playing something incredibly active! If it involved board games or crafts he had no issue helping out! Sportacus must have been making a strange face, because Robbie was giving him an odd look.

“Hey Sportacus, what is your snowflake going to be like?” Ziggy asked curiously. 

Sportacus tilted his head a bit, “I’m not sure! I guess it will be a surprise.”

“Probably something boring,” Robbie muttered. “Ours will be much better, right Ziggy?”

Ziggy giggled, “Yes!”

Sportacus smiled and began cutting his piece of paper quickly, similar to how he used to when he was younger. He and his brother had contests to see who could get the most done in the same amount of time, but then their mother had scolded them saying that the snowflakes looked like they had been through a paper shredder. Still, all of the practice they had gotten gave Sportacus the ability to cut them out very fast. However, being a sports elf he did not have much talent in the artistic area of expertise; other elves, maybe, but not his kind. That was more a Fae trait than an elf trait.

“I don’t think we should cut that piece off, Ziggy,” Sportacus heard Robbie say gently. “It connects the pieces together, and if we take it away that snowflake will fall apart.”

“Oh,” Ziggy said. “It will?”

“Mhm,” Robbie said. 

“How?” Ziggy asked curiously.

“Like this,” Robbie said softly as he opened up the snowflake. “See? It we cut right there, then the rest of the snowflake won’t be able to stick together. It will have too many big holes.”

“OH!” Ziggy exclaimed. “I see! Wow, it looks so _fancy!”_

Sportacus chuckled, and the other kids giggled at Ziggy’s reaction. 

“It does!” Stephanie said gleefully. “And if you keep practicing, they will keep looking even more cool!”

Sportacus heard Ziggy get up and run to him with his snowflake, bouncing up and down as he held it out, “Look Sportacus! Look at me and Robbie’s snowflake!”

Sportacus looked at it, turning his head this way and that, which made the children giggle. Ziggy handed it to him carefully, and Sportacus looked at the snowflake with a small amount of pride in his gut. The shape itself was a bit odd, and not what someone would generally consider a snowflake’s shape. However, it was cut with precision, and was the epitome of teamwork between a little boy and an adult who cared for him very much.

“It’s beautiful, Ziggy,” Sportacus said softly.

He saw Robbie turn to look at him, and all of the kids glanced up for a moment at the volume of Sportacus’ voice. It was not often that he spoke so quietly when he wasn’t trying to comfort someone, but honestly Sportacus was just trying to keep himself from choking up. He was not sure why he was feeling that way, but in all honesty…he was beginning to see Robbie in new light. The man was nothing like how he had assumed he was, and Ziggy was so small and pure that Sportacus could not help but love him. Sure, in a few years Ziggy might not be the same, but for now he was just a little boy that wanted to make everyone proud. And it was clear that the boy had grown attached to Robbie in a way nobody had, and Sportacus knew that meant Robbie was a good man. Children generally had a way of telling good adults apart from bad ones.

Sportacus handed the snowflake back to Ziggy, who immediately took it and ran back to sit in Robbie’s lap.

“Can we make another one, Robbie?” Ziggy asked hopefully.

Robbie smiled down at the boy, “Of course. Do you want to make a big one again, or a small one?”

“A big one!” Ziggy exclaimed, flinging his arms out excitedly.

One small hand hit Robbie’s chin, but the man simply laughed, “Alright, here we go. Where do you want to cut first?”

The rest of the afternoon was spent that way. Everyone had made a fairly good amount of snowflakes, all with varying degrees of artistic ability. Sportacus helped them hang the snowflakes up around the house, and by that time evening had begun to present itself. By that time, Stephanie asked if everyone wanted to have a sleepover. All of the older kids agreed, each informing their parents of their whereabouts over the phone. Sportacus noted that Ziggy was pouting at this point, because he had told his mother he would be home for dinner. However, before he could console the boy, Robbie had crouched down next to him and was speaking in a calming tone. After a moment, Robbie stood and glided towards the telephone, dialing in a number that was apparently familiar to him. Sportacus tilted his head, sitting down at the living room table as Robbie spoke into it the phone’s speaker.

“Yes, Mrs. Sæti?” Robbie spoke. “Yes, it’s me, Robert.”

_Robert?_

“Yes, the children decided to have a sleepover tonight at the mayor’s house, and I was calling to ask if you would be alright letting Ziggy stay the night as well,” Robbie explained, speaking as though he had done this a thousand times. “No, I’m sure we have a spare toothbrush. Yes, I will make sure he doesn’t sleep with candy in his mouth again. Pardon?”

Sportacus leaned his chin on the back of his hand, watching Ziggy bounce up and down as Robbie spoke with his mother. 

“Oh, well I had not planned on it, but- Yes, the mayor is home-“ Robbie pinched the bridge of his nose, letting out a deep breath. “Mrs. Sæti, Ziggy will be fine. If something happens I will let you know.”

Robbie caught his eye in that moment, and Sportacus raised an eyebrow. Robbie then frowned and looked at the phone.

“What was that?” Robbie asked, before stuttering. “Oh uh…one second.”

He placed his hand over the speaker and looked at Sportacus, “Are you staying the night?”

Sportacus thought for a moment, seeing the children’s hopeful faces. He smiled and nodded, and Robbie nodded in return.

“Mrs. Sæti, you don’t need to worry,” Robbie said calmly. “Sportacus and I will both be here tonight, so if anything happens we will both be here to handle it. Yes. Yes. No, but I’ll make sure he has a warm blanket. Alright.”

Sportacus smiled at Robbie, not noticing that Stephanie caught it. The girl felt a grin creep onto her face, and she couldn’t help but giggle a little. Sportacus turned to her curiously, and she clamped a hand over her mouth and shook her head. Sportacus gave her an unconvinced glance along with a smile, and picked up a piece of paper that had been left over from making snowflakes. He folded it and began to cut it with some scissors. The house needed more snowflakes, in his opinion.

“No, it’s not a problem at all,” Robbie said with a friendly laugh. “Yes, alright. I’ll be sure to bring him home in the morning. Alright, goodnight.”

He hung up the phone and looked at Ziggy, and the boy smiled hopefully.

“You better find some pajamas,” Robbie teased with a smile, and Ziggy nearly flew up in the air with excitement.

“I get to stay! I get to stay!” Ziggy exclaimed, running up and hugging Robbie’s leg. “Thank you Robbie!”

All of the children cried out in happiness, and ran up the stairs to find something to sleep in. Generally they either stayed in their clothes, or they would have clothes that they had left at that person’s house before. Stephanie’s uncle also had a lot of oversized shirts that they would sometimes use, so clothes were not an issue. 

Sportacus chuckled when Robbie walked over and sat across from him with an exhausted sigh. Robbie rubbed his eyes roughly while yawning. Then he grabbed a piece of paper and some scissors and began to slowly carve into the paper, his eyes half-lidded in weariness.

“If I had known building snowmen would turn into an entire day babysitting children, I would have never agreed to this,” he murmured.

Sportacus smiled, “Yes you would.”

Robbie glanced up to glare the elf playfully, “Shut up.”

“Ziggy is very fond of you,” Sportacus commented. 

“That’s because he doesn’t have a father,” Robbie replied.

Sportacus frowned and looked at Robbie, who was still cutting out his snowflake.

“He doesn’t?” Sportacus asked. “I just assumed that he was busy.”

Robbie shook his head, “Nope. Ziggy’s father died in a vehicle related accident when he was still a baby.”

Sportacus did not know how to respond, but his heart ached for the little boy. 

“His mother had a very difficult time trying to raise him and make money to live on, and so I helped her out by babysitting when I could,” Robbie shrugged. “I kind of stopped once he was a bit older and his mother got a stable job that she could do from home, but I guess a part of him still remembers.”

Sportacus felt his heart warm up. Robbie really was a very different person that he had first thought.

“Did she pay you?” Sportacus asked, wondering if maybe Robbie had a different motive than being helpful.

“No, she barely had enough to buy instant noodles, and back then there weren’t so many… _sportscandy trees,”_ Robbie stated, turning his snowflake around and cutting once more. “She offered, but I refused. I can handle myself.”

So Robbie Rotten watched Ziggy when he was a baby, simply because he wanted to help ease the burden of a single mother? Robbie Rotten helped Ziggy cut out ugly looking snowflakes, and somehow managing to make them beautiful simply because he participated? Robbie Rotten helped fix Pixel’s machines, and took Ziggy home when no one else would? Robbie Rotten helped build a snowman even after having his back hurt the night before, and did not complain? Robbie Rotten helped convince a little boy’s mother to let him sleep over at his friend’s house simply because he was being nice?

Robbie wasn’t Rotten at all.

“Hey Robbie!” Stephanie said, holding out a plate full of cookies. “These are the cookies that I wanted you to try!”

The cookies were brown and covered in some sort of spice, and although they looked simple they also looked delicious. The scent they emitted was intoxicating, even to Sportacus, and Robbie felt himself reaching for one before he had even responded. Taking a bite, Robbie was pleasantly surprised to find that they were absolutely delicious.

“These are very good,” Robbie said slowly, peering at the cookies longingly. “What are they?”

“It’s an old family recipe that my mom showed me before I left,” Stephanie said with a smile. “She said that they came from a book my grandma had, and that they were apparently inspired by _elves.”_

Robbie sputtered, and Sportacus’ eyes widened, “Elves?”

Stephanie nodded, “Yup! Most of the food in here is made with just sportscandy, but the baked stuff has flour and eggs.”

“Is there sugar in them?” Robbie questioned curiously, already eating a second cookie.

“Yeah, we added sugar in this batch just for you!” Stephanie smiled. “And we made an extra batch without it for Sportacus!”

Sportacus smiled as Trixie handed him a box of cookies. He opened it and ate one, and was immediately reminded of Christmases he had shared with his family when he was younger. This was definitely an elven recipe; there was no doubt about that. 

“These are wonderful Stephanie, thank you,” Sportacus smiled. 

“Hey guys!” Trixie called out. “I think Christmas shows are already playing on TV!”

They all laughed and smiled with glee written all over their faces, and all sat down on makeshift beds made out of blankets and pillows. It appeared they were all going to sleep in the living room. Robbie sighed, getting up and sitting beside Sportacus on the couch next to the table. He was still fiddling with the snowflake he had cut out, carefully tearing off pieces with his fingers. How the man could tear with such a clean line, Sportacus would never know. 

“Ugh, I’ll be back,” Robbie muttered groggily. “I need to use the restroom.”

Sportacus watched as he left, before turning to see that Robbie had left the snowflake beside him. Sportacus picked it up curiously and opened it, being careful of the thin pieces. As he opened it he felt his heart stop at the incredibly intricate design on the paper. It almost looked like lace; each line was so thin and detailed. It was beautiful.

When Robbie returned he noticed that Sportacus had opened his snowflake, and albeit slightly irritated he blushed at the elf’s adoring expression.

“You did this?” Sportacus asked.

Robbie shrugged, “Yeah.”

“This is so…beautiful,” Sportacus whispered. “Like a real snowflake.”

Robbie looked down at it, and then turned to point at a misshapen and ‘out of place’ snowflake that hung on the wall behind them. With a small smile, Robbie whispered to the elf.

“I think this one is better.”

It was the snowflake he and Ziggy had cut out, and Sportacus could not help but admire Robbie's response.

Everyone watched the television for a while, and then paused to eat supper. When they returned to the living room, it was already almost eight. The children all begged Robbie to read from a storybook that he had apparently read from before, and all laid down on their ‘beds’ to listen. Robbie read colorfully, but softly, soothing all of the children into a deep slumber. At one point Ziggy whispered, “This is my favorite part” but was soon asleep. 

Robbie closed the book as he finished the last sentence of the story, and looked over to see Sportacus fast asleep. Robbie smiled, knowing that it was 8:10 at this point, and that the elf must have been tired. Robbie slowly got up off the couch, and turned off all the lights in the room. The fireplace brought enough light, and he could find his way around the area without stepping on anyone. Robbie pulled a throw off of the couch he had been sitting on, and laid it over Sportacus so he would not get cold. Walking over to the large chair in the corner of the room, Robbie sat down with his own blanket. Soon, he too was fast asleep.

Everyone dreamt peacefully for a long while, undisturbed by the crackling of the fireplace, or Stingy and Robbie’s snoring. It was not until about five in the morning that Sportacus jolted up on the couch with a gasp, quickly clamping a hand over his mouth to keep quiet. He evened out his breathing a bit, and turned to stare at a sleeping Robbie with shock all over his face. Looking at the man now, it was obvious. It was _so_ obvious! How could he have not seen it- It was literally all over the man’s face! His expression, his strange abilities…his back pain from being hit…his intricate snowflake cutting…all of it made so much sense!

_Robbie is a Fae.._


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This one isn't as long as last time, but I think that this chapter should end here. Also, classes begin again for me tomorrow, so if there is a longer wait time for chapters, I apologize. I have a shit ton of classes this semester, which is probably a bad thing. :/ Anyway, thank you all for your comments! They mean a lot to me, and I enjoy reading them. <3

_The hot air balloon was surely hundreds of feet from the ground at this point, but he would not look down to check. Besides, if he remained still, hopefully the goblin would not notice. If he seemed as though he was still asleep, perhaps the goblin would simply forget he was there, if only for a little while. His hands gripped the weaved basket that carried the two of them across the horizon, his knuckles white as he held on in fear of dropping. Logically, he knew that everything would be fine, but he could not help but remember all of the times before this moment when he was being held over the edge. The only that kept him from freefalling towards the ground was a single hand gripping his neck so tightly he could not breathe, only to be thrown back into the basket and beaten until he was choking on his own blood and spit._

_Looking up from where he lay, he saw the goblin standing there with a grin slowly forming on his face. He was must have been too noisy, because the other knew he was awake. He felt fear creep up his throat, threatening to choke him until he spilled tears. The goblin turned to smirk evilly towards the young boy, cracking his knuckles threateningly. Of course, there was not actually any physical proof this was a goblin, but he knew the truth. He just knew, because no elf would have done the things that this goblin had done. As the goblin turned a large number nine glinted in the sunlight, and the young boy felt himself begin to quake in fear. The goblin made his way towards him, and the young man began to scoot as far back as the basket would allow. He knew what was coming, but that did not make it any less painful._

_“You thought you could cast a ward to get rid of me?” the goblin cooed, crouching down in front of the young boy. “Silly little half-breed, you can barely stand up, let alone use magic.”_

_The young boy felt tears stream down his face as he neared hyperventilation, gasping for air as the goblin reached out to gently move a strand of hair from the boy’s face. The hand lowered slowly, and gripped his neck firmly._

_“I guess I’ll just have to give you a little reminder of what I am capable of,” the goblin hissed, squeezing the boy’s neck. “And what you are not.”_

_The boy could not breathe, and he was so high up in the air. He felt himself swaying, and he could not tell if it was from lack of oxygen or from the balloon being carried by the wind. He was so far from his town that no one would hear him scream, but he could not scream anyway. The boy’s vision was beginning to darken and disappear, slowly, and the pain grew with each passing second. He felt something prodding his leg, and could only assume the worst. Perhaps the goblin was about to cut off his limbs so he could not move-_

~*~

Robbie jolted awake. For what seemed like eternity, but was really just a few seconds, Robbie could not breathe. He was shaking violently, having mentally relived a moment he would have rather forgotten. It was a cruel reminder of why he behaved the way he did, and a warning to not let his guard down. Robbie took a moment to take in his surroundings, remembering that he was currently in the mayor’s house. There were pillows and blankets lying askew on the ground in front of him, and he could hear the children speaking and laughing in the kitchen. 

“Robbie?”

Robbie sucked in a sharp breath and looked down to see Ziggy standing there poking his leg. So that was what woke him. The boy stood there, patiently waiting for him to answer. Robbie’s heart was still racing from his nightmare, and even though he knew that everything was alright _now_ , he could not help but feel distressed. 

“Are you okay?” Ziggy asked in concern. “Do you need a hug?”

Robbie merely sat there, swallowing a lump that had begun to build in his throat. Had he been in his lair, he would have probably started crying, but he would not let himself look so vulnerable in front of the children. With a shaky breath, Robbie nodded. Ziggy began to climb up into Robbie’s lap, and enveloped the man in a hug. Robbie held Ziggy against him, feeling his anxiety and stress slowly melt away. Ziggy was so small, and so kind. He would never do anything to hurt Robbie, and Robbie would never do anything to hurt him. For the time being, Ziggy was Robbie’s favorite. It was not because he babysat him when he was a baby, nor was it because he liked sweets as much as Robbie did. The reason Ziggy was Robbie’s favorite was because he was the youngest out of all the children, and therefore was the most innocent. He had yet to be corrupted by the real world, whereas Robbie could see the change already beginning in the older kids. It was then that Robbie realized how he let time pass him by the past few years, and he began to tear up a little at the thought of them all growing up. Of course, this was not the first time Robbie had suffered through this, but that did not make it any less difficult.

He could only imagine how his future self would feel when Ziggy grew older.

Holding the boy against his chest tightly, Robbie tried to calm his nerves. His mind was being too loud, however, and he felt his anxiety begin to creep back.

“Did you have a nightmare, Robbie?” Ziggy asked softly, fiddling with a loose string on Robbie’s shirt. 

“Yes,” Robbie blurted out. “But it’s okay, I-I’ll be fine.”

Ziggy sat up and frowned, “It’s okay to be scared, Robbie. You just have to remember that it was just a dream!”

_If only it was just a dream…_

Robbie smiled, “Thank you Ziggy.”

Ziggy nodded and lay back down against Robbie. He had forgotten how cuddly the boy was, but he had to admit it was nice. Robbie had not made Ziggy console him; he had simply done it because he wanted to. Robbie could not deny that the feeling was welcomed, and he hoped that the other kids would embrace him so openly in the future. The two of them stayed that way for a while, listening to the kids eating breakfast with the mayor in the other room. Robbie was running his fingers over the top of Ziggy’s head gently, like he used to when the boy was an infant, and Ziggy would speak now and then, trying to comfort Robbie in his own childlike way. 

“You should eat some breakfast,” Robbie finally said, sitting up and pulling Ziggy with him. 

“Okay, the mayor made pancakes!” Ziggy said with a smile, climbing off Robbie’s lap. “And there is plenty of syrup for you to use!”

Robbie smiled as Ziggy took his hand and led him into the kitchen, but his smile fell at the familiar sight of blue. Sportacus looked up and smiled as he ate an apple, greeting Robbie with a “good morning!”. Robbie simply scowled at the elf, having small flashbacks of his dream. It had to be a warning, and Robbie would not ignore it. Not again.

“Ow, Robbie!”

Robbie looked down, and his eyes widened when he realized he had started squeezing Ziggy’s hand a little too tightly. He quickly eased up, but did not let go. He would not let the boy get hurt. Ziggy simply shrugged it off, and pulled Robbie towards a couple of chairs. The two of them sat down and took some pancakes to eat, both of them drenching theirs with so much syrup they might as well have eaten with a spoon. Robbie looked at Sportacus through his peripheral vision, and tensed when he saw Sportacus staring right back at him. The elf was _watching him?_

Breakfast went by smoothly, with hardly a word from Robbie. As soon as it was over, the man told Ziggy that it was time for them to leave so he could take the boy back to his mother. As Ziggy began to dress himself in his coat and boots, Robbie turned to see that damn elf _still_ looking at him.

 _”What?”_ Robbie hissed.

Sportacus jumped a little at Robbie’s tone, and did not reply. It was a rhetorical question anyway. Ziggy informed Robbie that he was finished getting dressed, and so the two made their way out of the door. Stepping out into the freezing air, Robbie let out a sigh of relief. He needed some time away from that elf, or else he might end up doing something he regrets. Robbie felt his mind wander as he took Ziggy home. The boy was talking to him about something, but he could not focus on anything he was saying. All he could think about were visions of the number nine, and a wicked grin staring down at his bloodied figure. 

“Robbie?”

Robbie started at Ziggy’s voice, and he looked down to see the boy staring at him with a frightened expression. 

“Are you sure you’re okay? You seem really upset,” Ziggy said quietly. “Kind of like how mommy looks when it’s my dad’s birthday.”

Robbie swallowed, “I’m okay, I think I just need to go home for a little while.”

“Promise that you’re okay?” Ziggy asked, holding out his pinky.

Robbie couldn’t help but smile and take the boy’s pinky, “I promise.”

The two of them made it to Ziggy’s house safely, and the boy was overjoyed to share his nighttime adventures with his mother. After a few moments of polite conversation, Robbie excused himself and began to head towards his lair. However, after a few moments he decided he was too upset to take so long to walk home, so he snapped his fingers and vanished on the spot. A few yards away, Sportacus blinked as he stared at the spot that Robbie had disappeared from. He really _was_ a fae!

Now that the elf had figured out what Robbie really was, more questions arose to be explained. Why was Robbie here, and not in a fae community? Why had Robbie put up those wards (because Sportacus knew it had to be him)? How come the man hated Sportacus so much? Because the last time Sportacus checked, elves and faes had very good relations with one another. Most importantly, however, where were Robbie’s wings? Did he keep them tucked away under his vest? That would technically make sense. Robbie’s mood had also drastically changed overnight (literally), and Sportacus had grown to be even more confused than ever. The fae had practically _flirted_ with him the day before, and yet when he woke up he was back to hating the elf. Why did Robbie look at him with so much disdain in his eyes? Had Sportacus done something to upset him?

At least now Sportacus understood why he had failed to discern Robbie’s strange behavior. Had he been in any other place, the elf would have recognized Robbie as a fae immediately. However, it appeared that the man kept a glamour around himself and the town at all times, which made it difficult for anyone to know what he really was. That also explained why the adults never really questioned certain things, and simply assumed that the things Robbie did were normal behavior for a human. Of course, they _were_ actually normal for a fae. Sportacus wondered what type of fae Robbie was, and why he did not seem to have any family around. Faes were generally like elves when it came to the subject of family, and Sportacus was a unique elf for wandering around the area by himself. He did feel lonely at times, but the pros outweighed the cons in his situation. Maybe Robbie was the same? Or maybe something bad happened…

Sportacus’ eyes widened at the idea, and he could feel his toes twitch as a small wave of adrenaline coarsed through his body. Now that Sportacus knew there was a glamour around the town, he was able to think a bit more cognitively. He would really need to sit down and contemplate all of the general traits that faes had, and then compare and contrast them with how Robbie actually behaved. Of course, it would not answer all of his questions, but it might give him a better understanding of what was actually going on. The elf’s crystal had not blinked for a while, but he could not help but feel as though something was about to happen. Now that he could see through the glamour a bit, Sportacus felt the presence of a dark and ominous cloud hanging over Lazy Town. Perhaps this place was not as it seemed, and that is why he had felt so drawn to it this long.

Sportacus climbed back into his airship, and made his way towards a cabinet that held paper and pencils. He did not flip, nor did he flop, because he needed to focus more on what was going on rather than his physical abilities. Sure, he overdid stuff all of the time because he enjoyed it, but Sportacus knew when it was time to be playful and when it was time to be serious. His instincts never lied, and his instincts were telling him that he needed to be worried. Sportacus knew exactly what to do in this situation, despite all of the unknown factors.

“Time to write a letter,” the elf breathed out softly.

It did not take him long to write, and when he was done he carefully folded the letter to place into a mail tube. With a few elvish words, Sportacus had charmed the tube to be delivered where it needed to go. He needed a response as quickly as possible, and he would not risk a delay. Shooting the letter out of his airship, Sportacus watched it disappear from sight as it sliced through the sky at a nearly impossible speed. He knew that his response would come soon, and so he decided to do a bit of reading while he waited. Pulling out an older book from one of the cupboards in his ship, the elf sat down on the floor to gather some much needed information.

“Töfravera,” Sportacus whispered. “Surely this has something that will help…”

~*~

“Nítíu og níu… hundrað!” Íþróttaálfurinn said as he did his daily pull-ups. “Now that I’m warmed up, it’s time for the real workout!”

Íþró was about to start some jumping jacks when he heard the familiar sound of a mail tube whizzing through the air towards his balloon. Flipping over to where his mail was delivered, Íþró caught the tube as it shot towards him. He was surprised to see that it was not the tubes that he had ready for the humans in Latibær to use, but one of the ones that other elves used. Turning it over in his hands a few times before opening it, he hoped it was a letter bringing him good news rather than bad. Nobody generally mailed him unless it was his mother, who always put a charm around the tube so that it would smell like cookies. This was not from his mother. Íþró pulled the letter out, and a wave of unease overtook his entire being. He would recognize that scent anywhere; Sportacus had written him. His brother very rarely wrote him, and when he did it was generally because he needed help with something. Swallowing his nervousness away, Íþró sat down and opened the letter.

_Íþró,_

_I’m very sorry for writing you under these circumstances, as I am sure you are very busy yourself, but I am desperate need of help. I thought all was well in Lazy Town, but it appears that I was mistaken._

_It has come to my attention that Robbie Rotten is actually a fae, and that he cast wards and glamours all over this town. Now, I do not think he is a threat, but I believe that he thinks that I am. You know how the winged folk are; they are always so protective over their territories. I digress. There is something malevolent looming over my town, and I have no idea how to go about it. Robbie will barely look at me, let alone answer any of my questions. I fear confronting him about it will only bring greater harm to the situation at hand, but I can only learn so much on my own._

_My crystal has not warned me of any oncoming danger, but that is precisely the issue. It will only alert me once something is happening, but my instincts are warning me to be ready for anything. I’m extremely worried, Íþró, and I don’t know what to do. I can only explain so much in one letter, but hopefully you understand how serious the situation is._

_Please respond as soon as you are able,_

_Sportacus_

Íþró immediately stood and grabbed a piece of paper, writing a return letter to his brother.

~*~

It was a total of twenty minutes before Sportacus got an answer from his brother, which he admitted was faster than he thought it would take. Opening it up at a rapid speed, Sportacus almost snorted at his brother’s response.

_Your town better be ready for two elves, litli bróðir._

_Íþró_


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait, school is stupid. I had not planned to be this tired, but I am. Ah well, I'm hoping this chapter turned out well, because I wrote most of it while being half-asleep myself. :/
> 
> EDIT/ Yeah, the next chapter should be better. I read this one after I woke up today and was offended at myself.

In hindsight, Robbie _could_ have handled the situation a bit better. In his defense, he had not slept for fifty-three hours, and could not mentally process anything to his full potential. 

Robbie had been baking cakes and cookies for himself the entire night, trying to distract himself from unwelcomed thoughts. He was _stressed_ , to put it lightly. Sportacus was starting to get a little too chummy with him than the fae preferred, but what made things worse was that he was actually reciprocating. It was more than obvious that Sportacus had started getting more and more aware of what was going on. Robbie knew he would have to act quickly before the elf found out he shouldn’t. Robbie hoped he could handle the situation quietly without any casualties. 

What was troubling him the most was the fact that he was trying _not_ to hurt Sportacus. If someone had told him that two years prior, Robbie would have cackled with amusement and disbelief. He had never desired to harm Sportacus, but he would not have been upset had anything gone awry. Robbie was not one to hurt elves, but given the circumstances…sometimes sacrifices had to be made to make sure nothing happened. He actually never had the intention to kill an elf at all, but he had no way of…telling…

Robbie sighed in frustration, his hands running through his now unkempt hair. There was so much for him to consider. So many different options and routes to take, and he was having difficulty finding the clear path. No, he did not want to hurt Sportacus. If Sportacus was who he said he was, then the elf had done absolutely nothing wrong. That was what made this so difficult. 

Robbie was tired. 

He felt himself begin to doze as he sat on a chair he had placed next to his kitchen table. Surrounding him were at least a dozen cakes, and a few dozen cookies. As delicious as they looked, he was not hungry. If anything, he felt nauseated and only wanted to sleep. He would not let himself sleep, however, he needed to get things done before the situation got worse. If only he had not spent an entire night baking like an idiot. Robbie’s face sagged against his hand, his eyes slowly beginning to close unwillingly. No, he needed to stay awake…for the children…

Robbie’s head fell forward onto his arms, and his shoulders slumped forward. He had only just begun to snore when it happened.

He should have known something like this would happen while he had his guard down. 

Robbie actually jolted, and little glimmers of fairy dust fell around him from his rude awakening. For a long moment, Robbie held his breath, hoping that what he felt was not real. _This can’t be happening…_ After waiting for what seemed like an eternity, Robbie felt an unfamiliar rumble begin in his throat. Slowly, the rumble turned into a low and menacing growl, which was both a natural and unnatural occurrence. His silver eyes seemed to glow, and he bared his teeth as he sensed the threat. Robbie was not one to generally give into his _instincts_ , but sometimes they were uncontrollable. Robbie felt the glamour around him fall, his hair falling into his eyes and his fangs revealing themselves. He could not worry about his appearance.

_Someone was trying to break through the ward._

~*~

“Hvað segir þú?” Sportacus called out from the door of his airship. 

His brother was but a few yards away, but it seemed that the other elf was having some trouble. His balloon would stop within a certain distance from his ship, and then simply bounce away before going forward again. Sportacus fiddled with his moustache in confusion, and he could see his brother begin to pace. Why wouldn’t the balloon go forward? It was like there was a wall…a barrier…

Sportacus’ eyes widened, “Íþró!”

His brother looked up and called back, “Já?”

“It’s the ward!” Sportacus yelled. “It’s not letting you in!”

His brother frowned, and folded his arms in thought. Of course, he had arrived precisely because of the wards, so it was not like it was new information. However, it would be much easier to discuss things with his Sportacus inside his ship rather than by yelling across the sky to each other. 

“Sportacus, have you ever left Lazy Town since you arrived?” Íþró asked.

“Yes, I’ve left to get water and visit móðir,” Sportacus answered. “Why?”

“Then just come outside of the ward!” his brother yelled. “It recognizes you as an ally, so you can go in and out of it!”

Sportacus’ eyes widened and he nodded before rushing inside his ship to drive it towards his brother. Once they were close to each other, his brother tied the balloon to his ship and went inside.

Sportacus and Íþró looked at one another for a moment, before they both broke into wide smiles and embraced one another. It had been so long since they had seen each other and Sportacus had to admit that it was nice. Íþró ruffled Sportacus’ hair, causing the elf to flinch and fight to pull away with a groan. His brother simply laughed and let go of Sportacus, punching his arm lightly.

“I’ve missed you Sportacus!” Íþró said giddily. “It’s been far too long!”

Sportacus nodded, “It has! I’m sorry we had to meet under these circumstances.”

His brother shook his head, “No, I’m glad you wrote. Come on, show me what you’ve gotten so far!”

~*~

Robbie’s eyes were maniacally wide, his hair in all directions as he stared up at the balloon next to Sportacus’ airship. It was _very_ early in the morning; so early that none of the children had woken and the sun was only beginning to rise. He was thankful for that, because he did not want any of them to witness his emotional state. 

Robbie felt sick.  
He was tired from not sleeping, and that certainly did not help his situation. The fae was shaking violently, his heart beginning to race and his breathing sporadic. He was clutching his chest with his hands, his knuckles white from strain. Robbie had not felt anger or fear as strongly as he was at this moment, at least not since he was small. He should have known that the moment he began to become comfortable the damn goblin would return to haunt his very being. Trying to decide whether he should go up into the ship to try to get rid of the goblin (because he knew he was strong enough to do so now), or to run and hide away in his lair, Robbie felt his knees grow weak. Generally, Robbie would just hide in his lair and think of a plan instead of improvising, but his thoughts immediately flashed back to a small child lying in a puddle of blood next to a seesaw. 

He couldn’t let that happen again.

Swallowing thickly, Robbie made his way towards the ladder hanging from the elf’s ship. He was thankful that Sportacus had made a habit of not calling his ladder back up, because Robbie knew his voice would not activate the ship. Honestly, he wished he could just snap his fingers and appear there like he could everywhere else, but if he could do that he would have gotten rid of Sportacus ages ago. His ship had a ward around it like every elf’s home did, prohibiting any foreign magic from entering. It would not have been a huge deal, if Robbie wasn’t terrified of heights.

The first few steps were okay, but then Robbie had to look down. His hands and legs shook as he began to feel dizzy, looking up to see that he still had a long way to go. He had to get inside the ship, if just for the children. He couldn’t let number nine wreak havoc again.

It would go unrecognized, but Robbie would be the hero of Lazytown.

~*~

“So you’re saying that you feel as though the glamour is hiding more than just Robbie’s magic?” Íþró asked with a frown. 

The two brothers were simply sitting on the floor of the ship, with Sportacus’ book off to the side. It contained information on fae, elf, and other similar creatures, listing various traits and aspects as briefly detailed as possible. It was helpful, but not helpful enough. 

Sportacus nodded, “I can _feel_ it.”

“Well, if that is the case you probably aren’t wrong,” Íþró said, leaning back in thought. “But this Robbie seemed like a decent fellow, from what you’ve told me, so I don’t understand why he would do such a thing.”

“I don’t know either!” Sportacus sighed, rubbing his temples. “He still doesn’t trust me, even after all this time… It’s like he thinks I’m going to attack him, but I’ve never done such a thing!”

“Fae are not generally scared of elves, Sportacus… There has to be a reason,” Íþró frowned. “Now that I think about it, fae are not scared of much of anything. That is a cause for concern in and of itself.”

Sportacus nodded in understanding. The two of them sat in silence for a moment, before Sportacus’ head shot up and turned to the right with a confused expression.  
“Someone is…coming into my ship?” Sportacus mumbled, quickly jogging over to where his ladder was. 

The platform on the floor of ship lowered without his consent, and a figure quickly launched itself onto it. Eyes widening in shock, Sportacus quickly held out his hands to help Robbie get into his ship. Robbie held onto his arms tightly until he was in the ship, and then he shoved the elf away roughly. 

If Sportacus had thought Robbie had looked tired before, he was mistaken. Robbie looked absolutely _exhausted_. His hair was unkempt and sticking out all over the place, and the circles underneath his eyes were definitely disconcerting. His silver eyes were bright with emotion, and his eyebrows were furrowed in such a way that Sportacus wondered it they would stay that way forever. Robbie’s skin was pale and sickly, and he was shaking so violently Sportacus was afraid he would fall.

“Robbie!” Sportacus said in surprise, his own eyebrows coming together in a frown. “What are you doing here?”

Robbie simply turned his gaze to Íþró without speaking. The three of them stayed in that position for a long while before Sportacus finally had enough. The elf reached his hand out to Robbie’s arm, and the fae slapped it so violently it seemed to overexert him. 

_”What have I said about touching me?”_ Robbie hissed out, a small set of fangs beginning to peak out from beneath his lips.

Oh, Robbie had to be extremely distressed for his glamour to not hide his teeth. Sportacus grew extremely worried.

“Robbie, please sit down, you look like you’re about to fall!” Sportacus said softly.

Robbie shook his head, his gaze turning back towards Íþró with a glare that could cause anyone to wet themself. If looks could kill. Even Sportacus was feeling anxious, and it appeared that his brother was a bit nervous himself. Sportacus felt a bit uneasy, partially because there was a fae in his ship without his consent (he had always hated it when Robbie just let himself in without the elf knowing), but also because of how troubled Robbie seemed to be. He wasn’t even wearing any shoes!

“Robbie-“

_”Shut up!”_

Sportacus reeled at the venom in Robbie’s tone, and felt his fingers twitch in slight self-defense. Íþró was standing at this point, a bit unnerved at the way Robbie was speaking to his brother. It was obvious that Robbie did not like Íþró, but he had not even treated Sportacus _this_ bad when he’d arrived. Something was going on.

“Robbie, you need to calm down-“ Íþró began.

“Don’t you _dare_ tell me what to do!” Robbie pointed his finger at Íþró, his fangs fully visible at this point. “Get the fuck out of my town before I –I…”

Robbie’s voice wavered, and his trembling increased so much that Sportacus had his arms out ready to catch him if need be. 

“I’m only here to help-“

“I’ve had enough of your help!” Robbie growled out. 

Íþró and Sportacus both shared a somewhat confused glance, and Robbie scoffed at them.

“Please spare me your acting, number _nine_ ,” Robbie hissed. “You’re not fooling me.”

“Robbie what are you talking about?” Sportacus asked in disbelief.

The fae turned to Sportacus with a betrayed expression, and he immediately backed away from the elf. Sportacus had only ever seen that look a few times before, and it was never directed at him. It was a look that Sportacus only hoped that he would never have to see again, because it actually hurt him.

“How _could_ you?” Robbie whispered, his eyes beginning to shine with tears. “I…I had started to actually _trust_ you!”

Sportacus began to walk towards him, but Robbie backed away again and hissed in warning.

“Robbie please, I don’t understand-“

_”You brought him here!” _Robbie growled out, leaning against the wall of the ship as he shook.__

__Sportacus turned to his brother, and Íþró shook his head. He was just as confused. Sportacus knew his brother better than anyone, and although his methods of help were not always something he agreed with…he would never hurt anyone without a damn good reason. Something was horribly wrong with this situation. Robbie did not hate Sportacus (or at least did not until now), and was actually beginning to trust him. Then Íþró shows up, and Robbie freaks out because he is terrified of him for some unknown reason. Sportacus frowned at the thought and turned to his brother._ _

__“Íþró, have you ever been to Lazytown before?” Sportacus asked._ _

__His brother shook his head, “No, I’ve only passed by. This is the first time I’ve stopped in this area.”_ _

__Robbie growled, getting up and stomping over to Íþró. He grabbed Íþró by the collar, and dragged bared his teeth, “I dare you to lie again.”_ _

__Sportacus went over and firmly gripped Robbie’s arms, pulling him away from Íþró, “Robbie, what has gotten into you?”_ _

__Robbie turned and shoved Sportacus, “What has gotten into me? What the fuck do you mean _what has gotten into me?!”__ _

__Sportacus groaned, and grabbed Robbie by the waist and hoisted the fae over his shoulder. Robbie furiously kicked and scratched at him, which was unsurprising. However, after a few moments he began to stop kicking, and instead began shaking as his heart rate increased. Sportacus gently set Robbie down on his bed, leaning down where his arms were on either side of him. The two were eye level, and neither moved a muscle for a long time._ _

__“Are you ready to talk, Robbie?” Sportacus asked softly. “I promise that if I’ve done anything to you, it wasn’t on purpose.”_ _

__Robbie swallowed, his gaze turned back to Íþró. Sportacus growled, his own pointed teeth showing as he gripped Robbie’s chin with his hand and turned him back to face him._ _

__“Don’t pay attention to him, and just tell me what’s wrong,” Sportacus frowned. “I can’t help you if I don’t know what to do.”_ _

__Robbie wrenched his face away from Sportacus’ hand, and growled, “I don’t want your help, I just want him gone!_ _

__“Why?” Sportacus demanded. “He’s my brother, Robbie! He’s not going to hurt you!”_ _

__Robbie pushed against the elf’s chest, trying to get some distance, but Sportacus wasn’t having any of that. Besides, he was much stronger than Robbie, so it was not difficult to stay where he was. Robbie’s breathing was so erratic at this point, Sportacus actually wondered if he would hyperventilate and pass out. It was similar, yet not as intense as when the elf had accidentally hit his back._ _

__“Robbie!” Sportacus’ voice was loud at this point, growing desperate. “Gjörðu svo vel! Just tell me what’s wrong!”_ _

__Robbie was not looking at Sportacus, and instead was facing down. The fae simply sat there at this point, unresponsive. This was disconcerting to Sportacus, because fae were generally very uppity creatures, and when they were upset they would start moving sporadically and trip over things in haste. They did not just… _sit_._ _

__“Maybe it would be best if I go back into my balloon for the time being?” Íþró said softly._ _

__Sportacus nodded, and his brother left. Turning back to Robbie and getting down onto his knees in between Robbie’s legs, Sportacus reached up to gently run his hands through Robbie’s hair and get it out of his eyes. The fae did not move. Sportacus frowned, tilted Robbie’s face to where they were looking at each other._ _

__“Tell me what’s wrong,” Sportacus whispered, worried._ _

__Robbie stared at Sportacus for a long moment, before slowly shaking his head, “I… _can’t.”__ _

__Sportacus continued to run his fingers through Robbie’s hair, which seemed to help the fae calm down. Robbie was tired, that was obvious as his eyelids began to droop._ _

__“Robbie-“_ _

__“I _literally can’t,”_ Robbie whispered sharply._ _

__Sportacus frowned, pausing in his antics, “Literally?”_ _

__“Literally.”_ _

__Sportacus tilted his head, and took a good long look at Robbie. He could see traces of glamour still apparent on his features, and it was bothering him. However, now that he looked, Sportacus saw a trace of… _something else_. It was dark, and brooding. Like, a shadow._ _

__“Robbie, are you…cursed?” Sportacus’ eyes widened._ _

__Robbie laughed dryly, “No, but I might as well be.”_ _

__“Then what is that hanging over your aura?” Sportacus frowned, running a finger over the shell of Robbie’s ear._ _

__He was surprised to find it slightly pointed underneath the glamour. Robbie did not answer his question, and instead began to sway a little from weariness._ _

__Sportacus got up and sat beside Robbie on the bed, the two of them simply sitting. The elf had so much to say, and Robbie was there, but it appeared now was not the time to ask any more questions. Although, Robbie seemed much more relaxed without his brother there._ _

__“He can’t stay here, Sportacus,” Robbie whispered as his eyes shut. “You don’t know what he did.”_ _

__Sportacus frowned, and noticed the way that Robbie swayed with exhaustion. He caught him before the fae could fall forwards, and pulled him into his arms bridal style._ _

__“I’m taking you home, Robbie,” Sportacus said gently. “And we will talk about this after you get some sleep.”_ _

__Robbie was already half-asleep at that point, and simply hummed in response. Sportacus sighed and made his way out of his ship, carrying Robbie all the way back to his lair. Once they were in, Sportacus set the fae down in his orange chair. Tucking him underneath a warm, purple blanket, Sportacus found himself staring at the sleeping man once again. Unable to help himself, Sportacus leaned forward and place a small kiss on Robbie’s forehead._ _

__“Sweet dreams,” he whispered, caressing the man’s cheek before he made his way out of the lair._ _

__What he did not know, was that Robbie had actually been awake._ _


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is so much better, omg. I am not sure about that last one, it was a disappointment. Ooh boy, we are getting into some juicy stuff now. 
> 
> Also, just FYI, I have literally listened to "One day I'll fly away - Vaults" while I wrote this entire chapter. I am in love with that song.

Once Sportacus had left, Robbie’s eyes shot open and he sat up. He knew pretending to fall asleep would get him out of that airship and away from Íþró, and give him plenty of time to think of a plan. However, he did not anticipate Sportacus _kissing_ his forehead. Robbie felt his fingertips reaching up to gently touch his forehead, at a complete loss for words. Did Sportacus truly not know anything about Íþró? Honestly, Robbie would not be surprised if the elf was oblivious to his “brother’s” antics. That raised another question, actually. If Íþró was Sportacus’ brother, then that could mean a large possibility of things, and only one would benefit their situation. If they were actually brothers, then that either meant that Sportacus was also a goblin (which would be very bad), or that Íþró was an elf like he said he was. Or, it could mean that Íþró had really held up the charade of being an elf very well for a very long time, and Sportacus simply did not know any better.

Rubbing his face, Robbie groaned. Now that he was away from Íþró he could think clearly, and he had to consider the possibility that he was actually telling the truth. However, whenever he even glanced at him, Robbie would feel that familiar sense of fear creep up his spine. He could not tell the difference between instinct and paranoia whenever he was around Íþró, which made it much more difficult to handle the situation rationally. He was somewhat embarrassed by his behavior in the ship, but at the same time he wished he had been more rough. He had wished that he could have just gone up there and taken out the goblin without a second thought, but his knees grew weak at the mere mention of Íþró’s name. Not only that, but Sportacus had looked so hurt at his behavior. He could not blame the elf; he was technically trying to attack his _brother_.

Robbie shook his head and glanced over at his bookshelves and machinery, trying to decide which route he should take. Should he try to build something to get rid of Íþró, or should he tamper with magic? If he decided to try magic it would be much more effective, but it would also be much more dangerous. He was not exactly skilled when it came to things like that, as much as it pained him to admit. He had never had anyone to teach him, after all.

Standing, Robbie made his way over to the spell books. As long as he followed the directions, nothing would go wrong, right? Robbie clutched his unruly hair, images of Sportacus holding him and kissing him filling his mind. He blamed the elf one hundred percent for his inability to focus.

Shaking his head Robbie searched around for a good spell to use. While he was doing that, Sportacus had begun to pace in his airship. Íþró had returned once the elf had left with Robbie, and looked just as concerned. 

“I just don’t understand it!” Sportacus said, pacing so fast he almost gave himself whiplash. “Why does he hate you so much, if he’s never even met you?”

Íþró frowned as he watched his brother pace, “When did he come to Lazy Town, exactly?”

Sportacus shook his head, “I don’t know, he was here long before I was.”

Íþró and Sportacus sat and contemplated the situation for a moment. Íþró wanted to go down and see the children (and check on how well his brother was handling them), but he was not sure that was such a good idea, given the circumstances. He could not get past the barrier for one thing, but even if he could he was pretty sure Robbie would have a heart attack. The fae’s behavior was unsettling, and Íþró had to admit he had never seen one act that way before without a very good reason. Generally, fae would behave that way if they were under threat, or if they had previously been harmed in some way. It was incredibly difficult to gain a fae’s trust. If you _did_ manage to do so and then betrayed them in some way, fae were known for becoming extremely distressed and violent. They would not simply forgive and forget; they held grudges longer than most magical beings. Whatever Robbie was afraid of must have been caused by something that had happened before, and Íþró was determined to find out what that was.

“Sportacus, has he been this way the whole time you’ve known him, or did it happen after you arrived?” Íþró asked, twirling his mustache in thought.

“Well, he’s been that way since I arrived, but I’m not sure if he was like that before,” Sportacus said distantly. “I don’t think he was much different.”

“Are you sure?” Íþró asked slowly, eyeing Sportacus as a thought came to his mind.

“I’ve overheard the children’s parents talking, and they have commented on how Robbie seemed to be more stressed out than he used to be,” Sportacus admitted. “But he is still the same Robbie. I’ve never seen him act so strangely before, even when I first came to town! It was obvious that he didn’t want me there, but he never took such drastic measures to get rid of me. He was always more subtle about it.”

“Did he stop trying to drive you out?” Íþró’s head tilted in thought. 

“Yes,” Sportacus nodded. “He stopped about, half a year ago?”

Íþró stood and began to pace, trying to concentrate on his own thoughts. A thought of what could be going on had entered his mind, but he would not even dare to suggest it unless he was absolutely sure it would be a possibility.

“He was so consistent about it at first, but then his attempts started to dwindle,” Sportacus said thoughtfully. 

“He trusts you.”

Sportacus looked up and gave Íþró a sad smile, “If he trusted me he would have told me what was wrong.”

“Not necessarily,” Íþró stopped and looked at Sportacus. “I did not say that he was aware that he trusts you, but instinctually he does. He sees me as a threat, and seeing you with me obviously upset him. He thinks that you are betraying him in some way, without realizing it, and so he won’t tell you anything.”

Sportacus’ eyes widened, “But, if he trusted me, then he would have told me he was a fae to begin with! He still hasn’t, actually, I just figured it out!”

“He might think you already know,” Íþró suggested. “It’s not usually hard for elves to see through fae magic, since we are closely related beings. He sees through yours, that much is obvious.”

Sportacus fingers reached up to touch his ears through his cap, realizing his brother was right. Robbie knew that Sportacus was an elf without having to even see his ears, whereas the rest of the town did not have any idea. Perhaps Robbie really did think Sportacus knew… 

“Sportacus, how large is this glamour he has?” Íþró asked.

“It’s over the entire town, and he has wards all over his home,” Sportacus answered, shuddering. “And they are _strong.”_

“How strong?” Íþró asked seriously, pacing again. “I need details.”

“I almost collapse every time I go near his lair, and they are linked with his emotions,” Sportacus said. “Heaven forbid he get angry with me, I won’t be able to go anywhere near it. He also has small wards around the children’s houses, I’ve noticed. I can generally pass those, because they are older wards, but they are still there.”

Íþró took in a deep breath and let it out slowly, sitting down into a split position. Stretching out his legs to calm his mind and focus on specific thoughts, the elf considered all of the facts. They were all giving him the same answer, but he had to be sure.

“He is protecting himself and the children from magical creatures other than himself,” Íþró thought aloud. “And he trusts you enough that you can get through them, whereas I can not. This barrier he has around the town is new, like he only just cast it.”

Sportacus’ eyes widened at the realization. Robbie had put it up prior to Íþróttaálfurinn’s arrival, like he was worried about something. 

“This is a strong barrier, as well, he isn’t messing around,” Íþró said, touching the toes of his left foot as he stretched. “He also wanted you out when you first arrived. That is not an uncommon trait with fae, since they are very territorial, but the extent that he has gone to get rid of you is enough the say that something else was bothering him. But when he saw me, he wasn’t only angry, he was outright _ordering_ me to get out. He also spoke as if we’ve met before, which we haven’t. Although he does remind me of someone I do know, but they are most definitely not the same person.”

Sportacus felt his stomach rise to his throat as a thought came to mind, and his wide eyes turned to look at his brother. Íþró was obviously thinking about the same thing, because as their eyes met one emotion was abundantly clear in their gazes. Fear. Sportacus’ skin paled.

“You don’t think-“

“Já, that is exactly what I think,” Íþró’s voice was hoarse. “It’s honestly the only good explanation.”

Sportacus had to sit down in front of his brother, his knees shaking at the idea. He was overcome with a variety of emotions, and all of them were bad. Robbie, his poor dear Robbie…no wonder… Now it all made sense. The reason why Robbie was so jittery around him, and why he didn’t like being touched by him was because of this fact. Robbie was overprotective about the kids with certain things, and he had eyes all over the town not because he wanted to spy, but because he felt the need to watch over them. He felt the need to watch over them for a reason, not just because he was paranoid. What had happened to Robbie to make him behave that way? Sportacus felt a surge of anger run through his veins at the thought of someone intentionally harming Robbie, and his voice was thick when he spoke.

_”Goblins.”_

~*~

Stephanie was not a stupid girl. She was almost thirteen, and felt smarter than a lot of the townspeople. She did not claim the other people were stupid, but rather that she was a bit quicker to figure out things. Of course, Stephanie did notice things that most people did not, including the fact that Sportacus was an elf. She knew that the moment he showed up Lazytown, but she did not say anything because she also knew that he had a glamour to protect his secret. So, she simply went about life as normal without paying it much attention, but it had always been on the back of her mind since they met. Of course, she wondered if Sportacus knew her secret as well, and simply did not say anything. There had been a lot of things that Sportacus did not realize, however, so Stephanie assumed that he probably had no idea. 

Sighing, Stephanie did not miss the way Sportacus had started behaving that day. He was much more tense than usual, and he was actually running around and moving _more_ than usual. He constantly looked over his shoulder like someone was watching, and would respond to everyone’s questions or comments with a very strained smile. Sportacus was unhappy and nervous, and Stephanie noticed it immediately. After Sportacus got hit in the head with a basketball because he wasn’t looking at the game, but rather over his shoulder for the fiftieth time that day, Stephanie had had enough. She turned to the others and told them that they would be back later, waltzed over to Sportacus, grabbed his hand, and pulled him away from the park. Sportacus was stiff under her grip, but he did not fight her. Once they made it far enough from the park and into the woods of sportscandy trees, Stephanie stopped and folded her arms with an eyebrow raised.

“Sportacus, there is something wrong, and I want you to tell me what it is,” Stephanie demanded.

Sportacus choked, “Excuse me?”

“You are acting all funny! You keep looking like you’re angry, and then scared!” Stephanie exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air. “And then you get hit in the head with a basketball? Sportacus, are you sick or something?”

Sportacus sighed, “Stephanie, it’s not that easy to explain. You wouldn’t understand.”

“Why not?” Stephanie pursed her lips. “Because I’m a kid?”

“Not exactly,” Sportacus huffed, glancing around at all of the sportscandy. “It just involves some things that I can’t tell you-“

“I know you’re a sports elf.”

Sportacus froze and turned to the girl with wide eyes, his ears twitching underneath his hat, “H-how-“

“I’m one too.”

Sportacus’ eyebrows pushed together in confusion as his gaze travelling up to Stephanie’s rounded ears. 

“Well,” Stephanie rephrased. “I’m half sports elf… That’s why I don’t have pointy ears.”

Sportacus stared at Stephanie for a long time, before he broke out into a wide smile and he started laughing. Faster than lightning, he wrapped his arms around the girl and enveloped her into a tight hug. She was lifted off of the ground and she began to giggle, wrapping her arms around his neck. 

“That’s great!” Sportacus exclaimed, setting her back down gently. “Why didn’t you ever tell me?”

Stephanie’s face fell, “Well…you wanted your secret to be a secret, and…well…”

“Yes?” 

Stephanie sighed and plopped down against a tree, “I don’t really want to talk about it.”

Sportacus sat down beside her, elbowing the tree trunk and causing an apple to fall. He offered it to her, but she refused to his surprise. 

“Okay, but if you do want to talk about it just tell me,” Sportacus said gently.

The two of them sat there in silence for a while. Stephanie was relieved to have finally gotten that off her chest, and Sportacus was delighted to know that there was another elf in town. It made so much sense now, why he had always been more drawn to her than the other children. She was always the one who wanted to play games, and she flipped and danced everywhere like an elf would. That explained why she had written him a letter those few years back asking for someone to play with, because elvish children always got so depressed when there wasn’t anyone around to do so. Being half human explained why he had not figured it out, because her elvish traits were slightly dulled down. 

Stephanie turned to Sportacus as he twirled his apple around in his hands, “You never did answer my question.”

Sportacus turned to her and sighed, “Well, I don’t really think it’s a good idea to talk about it, especially now that I know you are able to understand.”

Stephanie frowned, “Is it about Robbie? Or that balloon in the sky?”

“You can see the balloon?” Sportacus was amazed. “You really are a little elf, aren’t you!”

Stephanie turned a little red, and rolled her eyes.

“It does have something to do with both, but I… It’s better if we just don’t talk about it, okay?” Sportacus urged her. “At least not right now.”

Stephanie sighed and nodded, “Okay, but if you get hit in the head again…”

“I won’t,” Sportacus smiled. “I hope.”

The two sat there for a while longer in the comforting silence. Sportacus could only ponder why Stephanie was in this town, then, if she was half elf. There was no way an elvish parent would let their children loose at such a young age. And it seemed that Stephanie had somewhat attached herself to Sportacus in a way that made him wonder if maybe something had actually happened to her parents, and she just didn’t want to think about it. 

Looked down at the nice juicy apple in his hands, he let out a sigh. Stephanie turned to look at him, and he gave her reassuring smile.

“Are you sure you’re okay, Sportacus?” she asked softly. 

“Of course Stephanie!” Sportacus nodded, taking a large bite out of the apple. “I’m just fine, I promise-“

A surge of pain shot through Sportacus’ body like lightning, and his vision blurred as he dropped the apple on the ground. He felt like crying out, but no sound escaped his lips other than a gasp. He began choking on air, and he fell over onto his left side. The world around him began to fade, and the last thing he heard was Stephanie’s panicked voice crying out his name.

~*~

Íþró’s crystal went off only a few hours after his brother had left to spend time with the kids of the town, and he immediately stood to peer over the side of his air balloon. Using his telescope, he peered through the glamour and towards the direction of the forest. His eyes widened at the sight of his brother on the ground unconscious, with a young girl with pink hair panicking and trying to get him to wake up with. He had to get there, and fast. He only hoped his brother hand accidentally eaten sugar, but judging by the girl’s reaction he knew that was not the case. He ran into his brother’s ship, hoping that maybe he could get through the ward that way. 

Setting a course towards the forest, Íþró managed to break through the ward with great difficulty. It physically hurt him to the point that he collapsed, but he regained composure quickly in order to get to Sportacus. Speeding the ship towards the area, he quickly parked it and practically flew out of the door. He ran over to Sportacus at inhuman speeds, and Stephanie gasped in shock as he appeared. She was choking on tears, and knowing he was an elf she started crying.

“P-please! I don’t know w-what happened!” she cried out, holding Sportacus’ limp hand in her own. “W-we where just s-sitting, a-and t-talking!”

Íþró swallowed the fear he felt at his brother’s weak pulse, and how lightly he was breathing. Sportacus’ lips had started to turn a deep shade of purple, like he had swallowed ink, and his skin was growing cold and clammy. He looked over at the apple that had rolled a few feet from the elf, and he picked it up to examine it. At first glance it appeared normal, but after a quick sniff, Íþró flung the apple away from him like it had caught on fire. He turned to the pink girl with a strict glance.

“Do not eat that, or any of the other sportscandy in this area, do you understand?” he spoke firmly, leaving no room for argument.

Stephanie nodded vigorously, “I w-won’t! Just help him!”

Íþró flung his brother over his shoulder, and turned to the girl, “Where is Robbie?”

Stephanie’s eyes widened, and grabbed his hand as she led him towards Robbie’s lair.

That fae had taken it one step too far.

~*~

Robbie flung another book at the wall, groaning out in anger. There wasn’t anything in the books that he could use that he hadn’t already, and all he could think about was that damned elf. Anything he could use to get rid of number nine would harm Sportacus, and anything that wouldn’t harm Sportacus would not be effective against the goblin. Of course, he could always just get rid of both of them, but Robbie didn’t _want_ to get rid of Sportacus. He was not admitting anything, he just knew that Sportacus was an elf and had not done anything to warrant his removal from town. 

As it was, he had spent an entire month after Sportacus had been in town for a while just getting rid of goblin traps. Any traps that could harm a goblin would also harm an elf, and after realizing that Sportacus was not in town with evil intent Robbie had gone through great lengths to make the town safe for him. Of course, nobody ever realized it, but he did not want them to. 

Robbie raked his hands through his hair, exhausted and angry, not knowing what to do about anything. He did not know how his day could get any worse.

_I spoke too soon._

A loud banging was heard at the hatch of his lair, and Robbie groaned hoping it would go away. However, his heart stopped when he heard a small voice crying, immediately recognizing it as Stephanie. Faster than he’d ever moved before, Robbie climbed up to the hatch and opened it, revealing a distressed Stephanie and a furious Íþró. Sportacus was hanging limply over his shoulder, his skin slowly turning blue. Robbie’s eyes widened maniacally, recognizing what was wrong with Sportacus immediately.

“Come on, get in, hurry!” he choked out, his own voice unrecognizable to his ears.

He knew it was too good to be true.

_He had missed one of the traps he had set for number nine._

They all made their way inside, and Robbie quickly shoved things off of his worktable without a second glance to half of the items breaking. He could fix them later. Íþró laid Sportacus on the table, and Robbie immediately checked his pulse.

 _”What did you do to my brother, fae?”_ Íþró growled out, fangs baring threateningly.

Stephanie was crying and shaking on the other side of the table, holding Sportacus’ hand once more. Robbie quickly went to work without answering, and ripped open Sportacus’ vest and shirt. Robbie grabbed the crest that held Sportacus’ crystal, and without a second thought he opened it and handed it to Stephanie. She looked at him in confusion, and he gave her a very hard stare.

“You keep that safe for me, alright?” Robbie whispered. 

Stephanie nodded, holding the crystal tightly. She held Sportacus’ hand with her other hand, and tried to hold back more tears.

“What are you doing?” Íþró hissed, hovering over Robbie with a glare.

“Saving him,” Robbie answered bluntly. 

“Was this really your method of getting rid of me?” Íþró demanded, startling Stephanie at his tone. “By poisoning food?”

Robbie didn’t answer, only got some black ink and began drawing patterns over Sportacus’ chest and stomach. He was not sure how effective this spell would be against this poison, but it was the quickest solution he could come up with. He only prayed it would work, because if Sportacus died he would never forgive himself. Sportacus’ skin was a light shade of blue at this point, and his lips were violet and chapped. The area around his eyes was sunken slightly, and had grown dark.

“Answer me, Rotten!” Íþró grabbed Robbie’s shoulders and turned him, his eyes turning red for a brief moment.

Robbie wrenched free, “I’ll answer after I save Sportacus.”

Turning back to his work, Robbie finished the symbols on Sportacus’ skin. He was lucky Sportacus was so strong; otherwise he would have been dead a long time ago. Stephanie was breathing heavily, watching the crystal in her hands begin to glow begin to flicker. Robbie swallowed, and let his glamour fall. He felt Íþró gasp behind him, and Stephanie squeak in shock. He had to focus his energy on the poison, not on his appearance.

Holding his hands over Sportacus abdomen, he whispered a short and repetitive fae incantation. The symbols on Sportacus’ body began to glow a bright purple, and Robbie focused on getting the poison out of Sportacus’ system. He was shocked at his poison’s strength, and swallowed nervously at the idea of not being able to get rid of it. Speaking louder and more strained, Robbie forced a great amount of his magical energy into the spell. After a few more minutes of this process, Robbie chocked out the incantation once more and watched as black liquid been to bubble out of Sportacus’ mouth. The elf choked on the table, sputtering as his chest heaved. He jolted so violently from the force of the spell that he woke up for a few moments, coughing harshly, before collapsing against the table again. Robbie closed the spell once he was sure all of the poison was gone. Leaning against the table, Robbie breathed heavily out of exhaustion.

“Stephanie,” he said, clearing his throat. “Show me the crystal.”

Stephanie held out Sportacus’ crystal, and the fae let out a breath of relief at the sight of it glowing brightly and consistently. Íþró moved over and checked over his brother himself, relieved the find that Sportacus was only sleeping at this point. 

“There is a bed in the room towards your left,” Robbie choked out, wiping sweat from his forehead. “He can rest on that until he wakes up.”

Íþró did not answer, but he picked up his brother and carried him into the room. Stephanie followed closely behind him, and Robbie did the same. Once Íþró had tucked Sportacus in the bed, Stephanie crawled up to sit beside him and hold his hand. The poor girl was probably traumatized at this point. Íþró turned to glare at Robbie, and cocked his head in a motion for him to follow as he left the room. Robbie did as he was told, and closed the door behind him on his way out. Stephanie would not need to hear whatever was about to be said.

“I need answers, right now,” Íþró hissed. “And you are going to give them to me.”

Robbie pursed his lips, “Why?”

Íþró grabbed Robbie by his vest and pulled him down to where they were eye level, and Robbie could not help the surge of panic wash over him. 

“You almost killed my brother! I know it was you, that was fae magic!” Íþró hissed. “Are you honestly willing to go to such great lengths to get rid of me?”

It was at this moment that Robbie realized how wrong he had been. Íþró was no goblin, because goblins did not care about their siblings or anyone else, for that matter. This was confusing to Robbie, to say the least, because he had seen Íþró’s face before. It was almost like someone had switched out the elf’s brain with someone else’s.

Robbie swallowed and was about to answer, but Íþró continued to speak.

“I don’t give a damn how you feel about me, but don’t you _dare_ hurt my brother!” Íþró growled out.

“I didn’t hurt him on purpose!” Robbie shook his head, “I…I need to explain this when Sportacus wakes up. I do not want to have to do it twice.”

Íþró groaned and rubbed his face, making his way towards the ladder in Robbie’s lair.

“I’m going to get some real sportscandy,” Íþró said coldly. “If anything happens to Sportacus while I’m gone, I promise to end your life.”

Robbie swallowed and watched as Íþró ascended. After a moment of pondering his life decisions, Robbie walked over to his orange chair. He was utterly exhausted, and needed at least a small amount of sleep. He would definitely need it if he was going to answer all of the elves’ questions. Robbie’s eyes closed as the minutes passed, and soon he was snoring in the living room. Across the way in another room, Stephanie sat holding Sportacus’ cold hand. 

Stephanie was perturbed, to say the least. It appeared that she and Sportacus were not the only magical being in Lazytown. Caressing Sportacus’ face, Stephanie let out a deep sigh of relief, knowing that the elf would be okay. She did not know if she could handle him dying, she had already been through so much. The crystal that she held in her hands grew warm, calming her mind and soul efficiently. After a moment, she laid down beside the elf, and with his hand still in hers, Stephanie closed her eyes and fell asleep. 

A good mile away, Íþró was busy gathering food from the town’s produce. He had double-checked each vegetable, making sure it was not poisoned, and held each one in his arms. Íþró felt sick. His brother had almost died in front of him, and Íþró could not tolerate the thought. He would get answers from Robbie if it was the last thing he did. 

The elf was so deeply in thought that he did not notice the figure a few yards behind him, watching his every movement with a sinister and near-silent cackle.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My God this chapter... It is literally three times longer than any of the previous ones, and is the reason that I have added new tags to the story. I did not intend for the story to take this turn...but I honestly should have known. I think up some dark scenarios, if I'm being honest, and I held myself back from being too graphic.
> 
> Anyway, hope you all like it, and thanks again for the comments! <3
> 
> EDIT// Also, if anybody has anything that they want tagged that I didn't, please let me know and I will tag it for you!

Robbie sat had grabbed a chair, and was sitting by Sportacus’ side. Stephanie had crawled on his other side, holding the elf’s crystal securely against her chest, and there were tearstains on the poor girl’s cheeks. Sportacus had wrapped his arm around her unconsciously, holding her against him comfortingly. It was an incredibly endearing sight to behold, albeit a tad strange to the fae. He had originally entered the room to clean the ink off of Sportacus’ chest and abdomen, but afterwards he was compelled to stay by the elf’s side. Robbie felt absolutely horrible, partially because it was his fault, but also because he was worried that this would not be the last time Sportacus would be near his death. He hoped it never happened again, but life had a way of doing the opposite of what Robbie wanted.

Robbie had his elbows resting on the mattress, his head in his hands. He had slept for a good five hours before he woke up, and when he did he saw Íþróttaálfurinn fast asleep on the ground. At first, Robbie was surprised that the elf would sleep in front of him; because it was obvious that Íþró did not trust him. However, when Robbie saw that the clock read 2:30 am he was not surprised. Sports elves kept regular sleep schedules, and it was hard to break them out of it. He got up at that point, and went to check on the elf, which ultimately led to him sitting beside the bed.

He very rarely used his bed for a variety of reasons, and all of those reasons were not good. Robbie’s fingers clenched his hair tightly as he ground his teeth together, trying not to remember all of those horrific memories spent in this bed. He should have just gotten rid of the damn thing, but then he worried that he would forget the past and end up making a mistake. He had to remember the past so he would not repeat his mistakes, and so the bed remained where it was; untouched for years. Looking at it now and seeing Sportacus sleeping so soundly, he felt extremely uncomfortable. Sportacus should not be in this bed…and neither should Stephanie. If either of them knew half of the things that had happened in it…

Robbie felt a tear escape his eye, followed by another soon after. It was not long before the fae was sobbing over Sportacus’ unconscious body, and he did his best to keep as quiet as possible. He did not want to wake either of them up, but he also did not want to leave. Sportacus was hurt because of him, and he felt the need to make _sure_ he was okay. Stephanie was his responsibility now too, because she should have never witnessed her hero cough up black liquid while dying on a table. She was most certainly traumatized, and Robbie had to make sure she would be okay. Robbie had to cover his mouth when he began to hiccup from crying, his head lowering to rest on the mattress. His eyes burned from the salty tears, and his face was hot while his body shivered from the cold. This was all his fault, because he was so stupid and reckless. He had made those trees grow poisonous apples when he was younger, and he had completely forgotten about them. Granted, they would not kill humans, but he should have been more careful keeping track of which trees were deadly! He was so _stupid!_ He was such a coward, and Sportacus had almost _died_ because of him-

“Robbie?”

Robbie gasped and his head shot up from the mattress to see a sleepy and confused Sportacus looking at him. Stephanie continued to sleep soundly beside the elf as soft snores escaped her lips. Robbie quickly looked over Sportacus, checking for any other signs of injury. His hands reached towards the elf instinctually, feeling his bare skin as he searched. He poked and prodded, making sure Sportacus wasn’t feeling pain anywhere, using his magical energy to search for any signs of lingering poison. Sportacus simply watched him do so. Robbie felt more tears escape his eyes as he sniffled, feeling small beneath Sportacus’ gaze. He swallowed thickly, trying to keep the knot in his throat from getting worse. After a moment, Sportacus’ confused expression grew to one of concern.

“Are you okay, Robbie?” Sportacus asked hoarsely.

Time froze for a moment before the dam burst and Robbie a fountain of tears began to fall down Robbie’s cheeks, feeling his body spasm from his sobbing as his shoulders slumped forward. His throat ached, and his eyes burned. Sportacus, the elf who had been minutes away from death just asked Robbie if _he_ was okay. Robbie’s face fell into his hands as his elbows returned to rest on the mattress, and small, unwanted whimpers escaped his lips. Sportacus was about to speak, but Robbie shoved a hand over the elf’s mouth and shook his head desperately. Tears stained Robbie’s collar as they made their way down his throat, and his arm shook as he held his hand against Sportacus’ lips.

“D-don’t!” Robbie whispered hoarsely. 

Sportacus’ eyes softened at Robbie’s anguish, and he weakly took Robbie’s hand in his. He moved it away from his mouth and instead brought it to rest against his heart, and Robbie only sobbed harder at the feel of the elf’s pulse. He felt a tsunami of relief wash over him, and his own heart ached at the thought of Sportacus’ death. 

“Robbie…” Sportacus whispered, clearing his throat softly so he would not wake Stephanie. 

Robbie’s fingers clenched tightly into fist on top of Sportacus’ chest, his other hand moving to grip the sheets as a lifeline. He had so much to say to the elf, but he could not bring himself to. Besides, he was upset, and who knows how his emotions would be after everything had calmed down.

“What happened?” Sportacus questioned, moving to sit a tiny bit. “I feel-“

Robbie quickly shoved the elf back down, Stephanie still undisturbed, and would have laughed at Sportacus’ surprised expression had the situation not been so serious.

“P-please,” Robbie begged as tears continued to fall. “Don’t move, you’re still r-recovering...”

Sportacus frowned, “From what?”

“Y-you-“

“You were poisoned.”

Robbie gasped and turned to see Íþróttaálfurinn standing in the doorway, arms folded with a glare that could kill. Robbie felt a very strong wave of power rush over him, immediately recognizing it as Íþró’s. The elf was trying to _subdue_ him, and because of Robbie’s exhaustion and vulnerability it was actually working. It was beginning to get to be too much. So soon after Sportacus almost died, Robbie had been in the middle of having a breakdown and then Íþró decides to do _that?_ Robbie’s fisted hand opened on Sportacus’ chest, and his fingers dug into the elf lightly. It did not hurt Sportacus, but it was obvious that Robbie was holding back. Sportacus looked at his brother and frowned.

“Stop that, you’re hurting him!”

“Good.”

Stephanie began to stir at this point, groaning softly and rubbing her eyes with one hand. She snuggled back up against Sportacus as everyone stopped and waited for her to settle back down. It was still very early in the morning, after all. Robbie was still shaking as he tried to keep Íþróttaálfurinn’s magical energy from crippling him. As Stephanie’s snores began to start again, Sportacus turned to glare at his brother again.

“Íþróttaálfurinn, stop,” Sportacus demanded in a low tone. _”Now.”_

Íþró’s magical energy stopped asserting its dominance, and Robbie gasped in a large sum of air. He turned to give Íþró the coldest glare he could muster, and it was reciprocated without hesitation. If there was one thing Robbie hated more than having his sleep interrupted, it was some grade A asshole trying to hold power over him. The elf was lucky, because if it weren’t for the fact that Sportacus was his sibling, Robbie would have easily shown Íþró who was really in charge. He had been controlled for most of his life, but he would not be so easily manipulated any longer.

“Robbie, what happened?” Sportacus asked calmly, stroking Stephanie’s hair as she slept. “I want to hear the story from your perspective.”

Íþró opened his mouth to argue, but Sportacus quickly shook his head. Íþró huffed and leaned against the doorway in annoyance, and Sportacus turned back to Robbie and gave him an encouraging nod. Robbie felt his stomach sink, and his eyes travelled towards Stephanie. He really hoped she was asleep.

“I’m not really sure where to begin,” Robbie breathed out. “I…I’m not sure I want to tell the whole story, just in case pink girl is faking it.”

Sportacus turned to Stephanie with a small smile, “She’s asleep. But you’re right.”

“I’ve got it,” Íþró said, walking over to Sportacus’ other side.

He picked Stephanie up carefully, making sure to not jostle her too much. Robbie felt his fingers twitch as he watched Íþró leave the room. He kept his eye on them through the doorway, making a point to not look away until Íþró returned. He did not trust number nine.

“Alright, go ahead,” Sportacus smiled.

Robbie inhaled deeply, twiddling his thumbs and trying to quell his lip twitching. He couldn’t, since it was a fae trait, but he tried to anyway.

“Well…it actually started a very long time ago.”

 

_Robbie climbed up the apple tree with a wide grin, giggling as the other kids warned him not to. Who were they to tell him what to do? His wings had almost grown to their full size, and he wanted to test them out! Glancing behind him at the sheer appendages, he admired their beauty. Wings were a sign of power; the more beautiful, the more potential. His wings were deep purple at the root and lighter towards the edges; glittering in the sunlight like ripples on water. He smirked as he felt them twitch, ready to feel the wind underneath them, and watched as small specks of fairy dust fell onto the tree branch beneath him._

_“Robbie! Come on, your mom is going to be very cross with you!” one fae child called to him._

_“Yeah! You’re going to fall!” another cried._

_Robbie rolled his eyes, “Please, if I wait for my mom to teach me to fly, I’ll be an old man.”_

_Robbie stood on the tree branch, a good twenty feet from the ground, and looked down at his friends below. He waved at them with an impish grin, and they could not help but wave back. He crouched down and called to them one last time._

_“Are you _sure_ you don’t want to try with me?”_

_They all pondered the idea for a moment, and it was obvious that they wanted to fly almost as bad as he did. After thinking, however, they shook their heads, and Robbie shrugged before standing back up and walking out towards the edge of the branch._

_Robbie looked out on the branch, seeing how the grassy hills rolled and the clouds swirled. He saw where all of the faeries lived on the horizon, knowing that beneath the rocks were so many houses that ants would feel ashamed. He breathed in deeply, smiling as the scent of spring filled his nose, and he closed his eyes. He was ready._

_“Do you think he’s really going to do it?” he heard one girl whisper worriedly._

_Robbie opened his eyes and felt his wings spread out behind him. Crouching down, he urged his wings to flutter behind him. He backed up a few steps, his wings flapping. Taking in a deep breath, he quickly sprinted across the branch and jumped. For a split moment, his eyes shut as he prepared to hit the ground below him. When the blow never came, however, he opened his eyes and saw that he was _gliding_. Gasping as he watched the hills pass beneath him, he broke out into a wide grin and began to laugh merrily. He had never felt so alive before, and despite everyone telling him to wait…this felt _right_._

_Robbie cackled as he saw himself pass houses, and waved frantically when he saw his mother walk out of their home and gasp. She would definitely reprimand him when he got home, but it would be worth it. Smiling wide, he turned in the air and headed towards the lake that he and his friends would swim in. As he approached the lake, he saw a hot air balloon heading in the same direction. Curious, Robbie flapped his wings to approach the balloon. He giggled and his eyes widened when he saw that it was an elf, and he waved with a toothy grin._

_“Hi!” Robbie called. “Who are you?”_

_The elf, clad in bronze and yellow, smiled up at him with a glint in his eyes. His mustache was thin and pointed, which Robbie thought was very classy for an elf, and he was _ripped_. Fae were not generally very muscular beings (there had been a few, but not many). Most were pretty skinny, tall, lanky, but also fairly graceful. Elves were more athletic, from what he had heard. Whereas fae would quietly think of ways to get what they wanted, elves would actually go out and do it._

_The elf answered Robbie with an commanding voice, “Number nine! And you?”_

_“Robbie Rotten!” Robbie grinned, circling the balloon as he observed it._

“Wait,” Íþró interrupted. “What?”

Robbie turned to the elf and frowned, “It will make sense if you let me finish.”

Íþró huffed again, but nodded and motioned for him to continue.

_Robbie floated in front of the elf, his wings fluttering behind him to keep him suspended. Number nine reached out a hand, and Robbie took it without hesitation. Elves were always kind; there was no way he was in any trouble! Number nine pulled Robbie in carefully, and smiled at the boy._

_“You should come see my mama! She has the best cookies in the universe!” Robbie said dramatically, bouncing on his bare feet._

_“That’s alright, I’m actually thinking of heading home,” number nine answered, turning his balloon around._

_Robbie tilted his head, “Oh, well then I guess I’ll have to go-“_

_“No.”_

_Robbie froze and watched as number nine grabbed him by the wrist. Robbie was so confused, but elves were nice so he was not afraid. Frowning up at number nine, Robbie tugged his wrist gently to no avail._

_“My mama will get worried if I’m not home soon,” Robbie said. “Please let go.”_

_Number nine smirked, and his eyes glinted red. That was all it took for Robbie’s eyes to widen and for the fear to sink in. He began shaking and an anguished cry escaped his lips and he tried to pull away. Number nine’s grip was too strong, however, and Robbie only managed to injure himself in the process._

“So, you were…kidnapped?” Sportacus whispered, his eyes wide.

“How old _were_ you?” Íþró asked immediately after his brother.

Robbie swallowed, “Twelve.”

Both of the elves’ heads turned to glance at Stephanie through the doorway, who was still peacefully sleeping in Robbie’s chair. 

“Exactly,” Robbie muttered.

Robbie shuddered at the memory. His eyes glazed over as he thought of his friends and family, all of which had either forgotten about him or were dead. Robbie swallowed, trying not to pay attention to Íþró making his way over and sitting on the edge of the bed to listen. 

“He took me away, tying me to the balloon with some type of athletic rope,” Robbie muttered, rubbing his eyes with his hands. “We were always in that damn balloon, because he could never stay in one place.”

“Wait,” Íþró shot out, his eyes widening. “How long ago was this?”

Robbie frowned, “About…thirty-five years ago, give or take?”

Íþró’s expression was wrought with worry, pity, and anguish. His angered eyes softened as they looked at Robbie, and he swallowed a lump in his throat.

“Guð minn góður,” Íþró whispered thickly. “Robbie, I’m so sorry…”

Sportacus frowned, “Do you know something about this, Íþró?”

“Do remember when I had to come home one year, and I left to travel with number eight?” Íþró asked his brother, to which Sportacus nodded.

“Yes, you said you just wanted to try out something different.”

“I lied.”

Sportacus and Robbie turned to look at Íþró, who was still giving Robbie a look of despair. It was then that Robbie knew for sure that Íþró was no goblin. His eyes were too kind, and not even a goblin could imitate such an emotion.

“You were still very small, so nobody wanted me to say anything,” Íþró began. “But we were having a lot of trouble with…”

Robbie’s eyes closed, and Íþró froze.

“Robbie I’m so sorry,” Íþró repeated, his hand reaching out towards Robbie’s shoulder. “You really aren’t lying…”

Robbie swallowed, shoving Íþró’s hand off of him. His touch was too similar to number nine’s.

“Trouble with what?” Sportacus demanded.  
“Goblins,” Robbie answered for him. 

“One of them had stolen my balloon and was parading around the place pretending to be me,” Íþró growled out. “He caused so many problems that I’m _still_ trying to fix some of them.”

Sportacus froze immediately, and his eyes widened in realization. The gears were beginning to turn in his mind.

“Continue,” Sportacus spoke dryly.

_Robbie had forgotten where he was when he woke up, but quickly remembered when he opened his eyes. He was dangling from the bottom of the air balloon, held by only one rope, thousands of feet above the ground. He had said something that annoyed number nine, and so this was his punishment. He remembered screaming out in terror before blacking out._

_“Good morning, princess.”_

_Robbie nearly squeaked when the cold voice spoke a derogatory pet name, and he felt himself being pulled up and flung into the basket. Robbie felt sick, and had he eaten anything in the last few days he would have vomited. He was somewhat glad his stomach was empty, because throwing up would only make things worse._

_The goblin cackled at the boy’s small whimper of pain, and bent down to sniff Robbie mockingly._

_“Why, someone smells a little bit turned on, hm?” Robbie shook his head frantically, but to no avail. “Who knew you had such a weird kink. Don’t worry _sugar_ , I’ll fix your little problem for you.”_

_Robbie felt tears stream down his face as the goblin began touching him, kissing his neck roughly, and doing things that no one should ever do to anyone, let along a now thirteen year old child. This had not been the first time Robbie had been put through this, but that did not make it any easier. He simply sat there and took what was coming to him, knowing that he was unable to fend off his attacker. The only thing keeping Robbie sane at this point was the thought of them stopping at a town so number nine could get some supplies. He planned to escape then. He had wings, and he was sure as hell going to use them. If it was not for the fact that Íþró watched him at all times, Robbie would have done it sooner._

_When the goblin was done having his way with Robbie, he simply left the boy there on the floor of the basket; cold, in pain, and lonely._

_“Clean yourself up, whore,” number nine growled out. “I don’t want to look at your filthy body any more.”_

_Robbie had honestly stopped crying when this happened months before, but he felt just as horrible. Quickly pulling on his clothes over his sore and broken body, he watched as Íþró threw down a rope to anchor the ship. Robbie flinched as the goblin made his way towards Robbie, giving the boy a sickly-sweet smile._

_“Stay here princess, and I’ll bring you back something nice,” the goblin smacked Robbie’s thigh, which hurt like hell, and snickered as he left._

_Once Robbie was sure number nine had left, he stood and hopped out of the balloon. The balloon was still a decent distance from the ground, and so Robbie felt his wings catch air and he glided through the air. His adrenaline was running so much that he could barely look straight ahead, but he felt tears escape as he cried out in relief. A year. One full year of his life had been spent being abused, raped, and overall harmed by that damn goblin. If he had just listened to his friends and mother, none of this would have happened._

_Robbie cried out in shock as something hard hit the back of his head, and he fell through the sky like a dead bird. Crashing onto the ground below, the boy felt a sharp pain in some of his limbs before he passed out._

_When Robbie awoke, at first nothing seemed off. However, after his sleepy haze wore off, Robbie could feel it; someone was stepping on his lower back. His wings felt tight, like something was containing them. Frowning as he recognized the dirty weaved basket that was number nine’s balloon, Robbie turned his head to look up at the infuriated goblin. Robbie felt his stomach sink at the sight. Number nine’s eyes were lidded, but they shown with a furor that Robbie had never known before. He could not remember another time number nine’s eyes were so red, and the boy felt like he wanted to die. However, that did not compare to the fear he felt when he realized his wings were being held in the hands of the goblin._

_“You think you can just _fly away?”_ number nine growled out, causing Robbie to whimper. “I don’t think so, you piece of shit.”_

_“P-please,” Robbie whispered, his eyes widening as he realized what number nine was implying. “I’m s-sorry!”_

_“I’m sorry?” number nine said mockingly._

_“P-please!” Robbie cried as he felt number nine’s fingers clench his wings roughly, cutting through some of the sheer membrane. “I w-won’t try to leave again!”_

_Number nine chuckled darkly, leaning down to whisper in Robbie’s ear, “You’re damn right you won’t.”_

_Robbie hoped that the goblin was merely bluffing, squirming beneath the goblin as he tried to escape. Number nine’s fingers only gripped the wings tighter, and Robbie stilled in fear. He felt his breathing grow shaky as he shook his head frantically, praying to whatever deity was listening to save him._

_And then it happened._

_He heard the crunch and pop of his wings splitting before he actually felt the pain. His body went into shock for a moment, his head lifted to stare out into the abyss of terror. When he did feel the pain, it radiated through his entire body. It was sharp, leaving little time for the fae to prepare himself, and caused his fingers and toes to spasm as he dry heaved. Robbie, a boy who had grown to be very quiet since being abducted, let out a loud wail of suffering that echoed for miles. His voice cracking as tears spilled from his eyes and his teeth clenched, Robbie sobbed at the feeling of number nine mutilating his wings. Number nine twisted and ripped the membrane of his wings off, leaving behind a skeletal memory of what his wings had once been. His beautiful, beautiful wings…now shredded and bloody. They were still fixable though, he knew, because fae always had wing injuries. They would grow back with a little tender love and care. It would be okay…_

_Until it wasn’t._

_Robbie sucked in a deep gasp of air, his senses shutting down as he felt number nine rip his wings straight out of his back. There was a long moment where Robbie had gone completely numb, void of any pain, sorrow, and emotion. Then, however, Robbie felt the most agonizing pain he had ever experienced. It was so awful, that he blacked out for three days, causing the goblin to wonder if he had actually died. It was not that Robbie remained asleep for those three days, but rather every time he woke up the pain would return._

_Even after the pain finally stopped and his wound healed, Robbie could barely move his upper body at all for a very long time. Number nine would continue to use the fae for his own desires, and Robbie could not do a single thing to stop him. The goblin would continuously remind him of how hideous he was without his wings, and Robbie was thankful there weren’t any mirrors. He did not want to look at himself, knowing that the only thing he would see was a young boy with pain-filled eyes._

Sportacus and Íþró were silent when Robbie took a moment to pause in his story.

“I’m sorry,” Robbie breathed, closing his eyes and he breathed deeply.

Sportacus gently laid his hand over the top of Robbie’s, and after his initial shock, Robbie took it and held it tightly. He needed something to keep him anchored for the time being, having slightly difficulty distinguishing the pass from the present. He could still feel the pain and horror that he had lived through back then.

“It happened so long ago and it still hurts,” Robbie whispered shakily, shaking his head. “But, no use dwelling on that. I survived, and that is what matters.”

“Robbie,” Sportacus whispered. “I never realized…”

Robbie turned to him with tears in his eyes, “How could you? Don’t be stupid, Sportacus.”

Sportacus’ thumb gently rubbed over Robbie’s knuckles, “I just…I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be, I don’t want pity,” Robbie frowned. “I just want you to know the truth.”

_It took a total of four more months until number nine decided that he was bored. Robbie was leaning over the edge of the basket, his eyes glazed over as he stared out onto the grassy plains below. He wished he could fly over them without having to be with the goblin, but he knew that any hope for that had been lost. Thinking about his wings caused a slight twinge of pain in his back, his muscles trying to spread wings that were no longer there.  
“This looks like a nice little town!”_

_Robbie jumped at number nine’s voice, turning to see the goblin smirking evilly as he peered through his telescope. Robbie frowned and crawled over to see what he was looking at, and his eyes widened at the sight of houses in the distance._

_“W-we are going there?”_

_Number nine backhanded Robbie, causing the boy to fall backwards with a grunt of pain. Holding his cheek, Robbie looked up at the goblin._

_“What did I say about talking?” he growled out. “I don’t want to hear your disgusting puberty voice, and if I hear you say something again I will personally rip out your vocal chords and shove them up your ass.”_

_Robbie quivered in fear, scooting backwards until he was as far away from the goblin as possible._

_“Lazy town…” number nine whispered as they passed a sign. “Hmm…that seems like a place I can have some fun with. Humans are always so entertaining.”_

_Robbie glanced over the side of the basket again, praying that everyone who lived in Lazy town would not be subject to the same wrath he had been. As number nine began to lower the balloon, Robbie’s eyes widened at the sight of a playground. There were children playing in it happily, laughing and having a good time together. There were adults conversing with one another, sometimes gesturing towards the happy kids. Robbie sunk down when he saw them all look towards the balloon in curiosity, and he only prayed he would not be seen. He did not want to be humiliated in front of them._

_Number nine tied down the balloon and hopped out of the basket to greet everyone, jumping around like an elf would and exclaiming the sportscandy was good for them. Robbie had almost felt relieved that he had been forgotten, when suddenly a hand reached down and grabbed him by the collar. Number nine lifted him out of the basket and into the peering and judgmental eyes of the humans. It was then that Robbie saw it; a glamour. Number nine had put a glamour around them, obviously influencing the way the adults reacted. Robbie swallowed in fear as number nine held up a banana and grinned evilly._

_“Why don’t you show them how good sportsandy is, Robbie?”_

_Number nine knew that sugar plum fae could not eat fruit raw, and that it had to be doused in sugar. Raw fruit or vegetables would upset their stomachs, and Robbie swallowed at the thought. Braving the situation, Robbie shook his head in fear, trying to pull away from the goblin. Number nine growled at him, and peeled the banana with his teeth. He then kicked Robbie behind his knees, causing the boy to collapse, and plugged his nose so that he could not breath. After a long moment, Robbie gasped for air, and number nine shoved the banana into his mouth roughly. Robbie choked around the unwanted object, despising the flavor, and tried to spit it out._

_“If you spit that out, you will regret it.”_

_Robbie reluctantly began to chew, his eyes filling with tears. The adults around him all clapped in excitement, each of them swayed by number nine’s ability to keep them from seeing the truth. Robbie felt tears run down his face as he ate the banana, and number nine kicked the back of his head and pushed his face into the dirt. Robbie coughed when the pressure on his head was relieved, and he looked up to see number nine standing in front of him and laughing with the adults. Some of the children had run up, also swayed by the glamour, and giggled at the newcomer. Robbie’s eyes widened when he realized that number nine was not paying attention to him. Number nine let his guard down._

_Number nine thought he had broken Robbie._

_Quiet as a mouse, Robbie got up off of the ground and backed away from the goblin. Number nine still had yet to look behind him, and Robbie kept going _slowly_. Once he had made a decent distance, he turned around and took off running. He did not know where he was headed, but he needed to go somewhere that the goblin would not see him. Seeing a giant billboard of a green landscape and a cow, Robbie headed in that direction to hide behind it. He was weak and tired, but he made it in record time. Gasping for air and looking around himself with widened eyes, Robbie made sure no one had followed him. He was shaking from adrenaline and lack of energy, taking in his surroundings as he tried to find a way to hide. He had to find a place to stay that a goblin would not go looking for him. _

_Thinking back to when he was younger, he remembered his mother warning him about the dangers of the outside world. He remembered her briefly mention goblins and how they would steal children, and he remembered the fear he felt when she told him. That was when his mother laughed and coddled him, saying, “My dear little Robin, goblins do not go underground. That is why we are safe here!”_

_Eyes widening, Robbie looked at the vast fields of green hills. He knew what he needed to do, but he did not know if he would be able to. He had not had anything decent to eat in over a year, only fruits that upset his stomach and the occasional burnt cookie that number nine would give him if he started to fade. He had lost weight, grown so weak he could barely stand, and he had never actually had any decent training on magic. The odds were against him, but Robbie refused to be controlled any longer. Number nine may have stripped him of his life, his friends, his _dignity_ , but he had yet to completely break the fae. Robbie was simply a little wounded, but in time it would heal. Besides, there were so many children in this town that were probably in danger, and he refused to sit idle and let the goblin do as he pleased._

_With determination in his eyes, Robbie held his hands out in front of him. Using all of the magical energy he had, Robbie forced the ground to open and create a space for him to reside, hidden by prying eyes. As the hole stabilized, Robbie collapsed onto the ground from the exertion. He crawled forward towards the hole, and dropped down into it. It was small, but he could make it bigger when he was able. For now, it would have to do. Casting a quick glamour over the opening, Robbie fell onto the dirt and cried. He cried harder than he had ever cried before, and his body could not take any more stress for that day. His eyes shut after a few minutes and he fell asleep, hoping that number nine did not find his hiding spot._

“So the hole you made, is…this place?” Íþró asked in awe.

“It was a lot smaller then, probably a few feet deep,” Robbie said, his gaze distant. “I was so young, not even fourteen yet, and I had never had any magical training. Not to mention I was incredibly sick and weak because I had been stuck in a balloon for over a year and had not eaten a healthy fae diet. I was in the middle of puberty, and barely had enough energy to live.”

Sportacus sat up before Robbie could protest, and pulled Robbie into a hug. Sportacus buried his nose into Robbie’s neck as the fae gasped in surprise, trying to ignore the sting of his own tears trying to escape. Robbie swallowed the lump in his throat, his hands coming up to rest on Sportacus’ back. 

“Why didn’t you ever say anything?” Sportacus whispered, his voice cracking as his tears stained Robbie’s collar. 

Robbie hiccupped as a cry tried to escape, “I didn’t… You _look_ so much like him…”

Sportacus pulled away and put his hands on Robbie’s face. Robbie looked at Sportacus and felt a tear fall, and Sportacus gently wiped it away with his thumb. Running a hand through Robbie’s hair comfortingly, Sportacus spoke quietly, his heart aching as he gazed into the other man’s wounded eyes.

“Do I?” Sportacus asked softly. 

Robbie looked, really looked, at Sportacus. Upon first sight, yes, Sportacus did look at lot like number nine. Not as much as Íþró did, but it was enough to make Robbie feel unsafe when they had first met. Sportacus and number nine had the same type of clothes, the same mustache, and the same accent... What Robbie came to realize over time was that they did not, however, have the same eyes. Robbie was sucked into the deep blue pools, and his mood lightened dramatically. Robbie swallowed, and leaned into Sportacus’ hands. The elf’s touch was warm and comforting, bringing some light into the dark place that Robbie was in.

“No,” Robbie whispered, lost in the elf’s eyes. “I realize that now.”

Sportacus smiled and stroked Robbie’s cheek, and Íþró cleared his throat. The two glanced over and Sportacus sighed.

“Alright, go on,” Sportacus said. “If you want.”

Robbie nodded, “I need to just get it all out now.”

_Robbie had spent a full week hiding in his little hole, and number nine had yet to find him. Robbie knew what he needed to do, but he had to work up the courage. He needed to build himself a decent place to stay; it did not have to be fancy, but a place with actual walls and areas he could sleep in without being attacked by bugs. He also needed to eat some decent food so he would have enough energy, but he was not sure how to do that without being seen. Robbie sighed, wishing his mother had taught him how to conjure objects without a book, but alas, she had not gotten to that point. Robbie’s heart ached at the thought of his mother, and how much his disappearance had probably hurt her. After everything with his father…_

_Robbie’s eyes widened, and a small glimmer of hope filled his heart. Why had he not thought of that before! He only ever really focused on his mother, and sometimes he forgot he had another side to his family._

_A human side._

_He wanted nothing to do with his father, but his brother… Surely he would know at least something that Robbie could do! The only issue was getting to his half-brother. Glanni was very good at keeping hidden, and Robbie was not sure where to begin looking for him. He had not even seen the man in at least four years, and he was sure that the Glanni had changed. Glanni was a bit older than Robbie, and so maybe he knew some spells for Robbie to learn. At least, Robbie hoped so…_

_Doing the first thing that came to mind, Robbie got up and peeked out of the hole. He needed some paper and something to write with, but the only place he knew where to get that was in town. He could try a glamour, but he knew that his glamours were not very convincing and that number nine would see right through it. Glancing up at the sky, Robbie saw that number nine’s balloon was nowhere in sight. He must have gone in search for him, and Robbie’s eyes widened when he realized that this was the perfect opportunity to get what he needed. Quickly darting into town, Robbie looked around and saw a young girl with a striped dress walking around on stiff legs. She was holding a diary, and a pen._

_Robbie ran over to her and gave her the biggest smile he could muster, “Halló, ég heiti Robbie!”_

_The girl tilted her head in confusion, “I’m sorry?”_

_Robbie blushed, remembering that humans did not speak elvish. Trying to remember what he had learned in school, Robbie managed to form a sentence._

_“Sorry,” he said slowly. “Um…hi. I is…am Robbie!”_

_The girl slowly smiled and giggled, “Hello, I’m Solla.”_

_Robbie shook her hand and nodded, “W-would…can I steal- borrow! Borrow t-this paper?”_

_Solla giggled and nodded, tearing out a piece of paper from her diary and handing him her pen, “Of course!”_

_Robbie thanked her and then wrote a quick message to his brother, folded the paper and holding it in his hands tightly._

_“Would you like to play, Robbie?” Solla asked, gesturing towards the swings._

_Robbie shook his head frantically, “No. Do you have…sugar?”_

_Solla frowned, “Sugar is bad for you, Robbie! Number nine said so!”_

_Robbie shuddered, “Yes I know this…I j-just have not eaten sugar in long time.”_

_Solla’s eyes widened, “Really! Oh, well then here! I got this earlier, but you can have it!”_

_She handed Robbie a few pieces of candy, and Robbie almost cried from relief. He thanked her awkwardly, but profusely, before excusing himself and fleeing back into his hideout. Robbie ate the candy, relishing in the rush of energy it brought him. He already felt better, physically. Mentally, however…_

_Sighing, Robbie decided that things could only get better. He had reached the lowest point he could have possibly gotten, and there was nowhere else to go but up. Snapping his fingers and whispering a charm (really, the only charm that he knew), and the piece of paper in his hands disappeared. He knew it would get to Glanni, and he only hoped his brother would answer him. Robbie leaned back against the dirt wall, and yawned. He was still exhausted, but he was hopeful._

_It took Glanni a total of five hours to respond, and Robbie almost cried for joy when his brother told him to wait for him to arrive. Robbie sat in his little dugout patiently. A while later he heard footsteps above him, and began to panic at the thought of it being number nine. However, when a lanky figure in a black catsuit jumped in, Robbie cried out and crawled over to greet his brother. With tears in his eyes, Robbie grasped at Glanni’s suit and whimpered. Glanni held Robbie against him tightly, kissing the top of his head and whispering to him soothingly._

_“Robbie, where the hell have you been?” Glanni asked once Robbie had calmed down. “I’ve been worried sick! And have you lost weight? Good God Robbie, eat some cake will you?”_

_Robbie’s eyes bulged when Glanni conjured up a cake, and Robbie took it greedily. Scarfing the thing down in less than a few minutes. As Robbie finished his last bite of the sugary substance, he looked up to see his brother watching him in concern. Glanni was not a very sympathetic person, so to see him look so worried as troubling._

_“Robbie…?”_

_Robbie swallowed, and told Glanni everything. It took a while, but by the time he had finished Glanni had pulled the younger boy in his lap and rocked him back and forth. Glanni was furious, to say the least, and vowed to never let that goblin hurt his little brother ever again. In fact, he vowed to never let _anyone_ hurt Robbie ever again. _

_“Glanni?”_

_“Yeah?”_

_“I…I’m scared…”_

_Glanni looked down and saw Robbie’s eyes glazed over in thought, and he kissed the boy’s forehead._

_“I will teach you everything you need to know, don’t worry,” Glanni whispered. “I’m not going anywhere.”_

_“But what about Mayhem Town?” Robbie asked, frowning. “Don’t you have to work?”_

_“The family business will be fine without me for a while,” Glanni said dismissively. “You are my priority right now.”_

_“Okay,” Robbie whispered, clutching Glanni’s suit in his hands._

_Glanni rocked his brother gently, running his fingers through Robbie’s hair in an attempt to both calm his brother and to keep himself grounded. There was no use getting angry without a decent plan to act upon, and so he focused on Robbie’s wellbeing. His poor baby brother had been hurt, and Glanni only felt ashamed he had not looked harder for him. Sure, when word got out that Robbie had disappeared, Glanni searched far and wide for him. However, he could have tried harder. He could have ended his brother’s suffering, but instead assumed that he was dead. Glanni felt horrible._

_“Glanni,” Robbie’s voice cracked. “Will I…will I ever be able to fly again?”_

_Glanni held back tears, and swallowed the lump in his throat. His poor brother, his poor Robbie, was doomed to suffer the same fate that he did. The only difference was that Robbie did not deserve to lose his wings. Holding Robbie’s face against his chest, Glanni answered with a shaking voice._

_“No, Robbie,” he whispered. “No…you won’t.”_

_Glanni felt Robbie’s tears on his clothes before he felt the boy shake, and it took all of his own effort to keep from crying with him. If he only he had found Robbie sooner…_

Robbie let out a deep breath, rubbing his temples. Sportacus squeezed Robbie’s hand in an effort to comfort the man, and Íþró looked at his hands as he took in the story. 

“Sorry,” Robbie whispered. “I’m just getting a little tired, is all…”

“We can continue later, if you want?” Sportacus offered.

Robbie shook his head, “No, I need to finish.”

Robbie looked over at Íþró, who’s expression grew to one of bewilderment. Robbie raised an eyebrow at the elf, and Íþró turned to look at him with wide eyes.

“Glanni is your brother?”

Robbie’s eyes widened, “You know Glanni?”

Íþró nodded furiously, “Of course! He keeps killing all of my flowers!”

The corners of the fae’s lips tilted upwards as he snorted, and Robbie covered his mouth to stifle his laughter. Íþró looked genuinely offended, and Sportacus looked concerned.

“Well, that’s not a very nice thing to do,” Sportacus bemused. 

“No, it’s not!” Íþró exclaimed, standing up and pacing the room. “I go down into Latibær every so often, make all of the plants grow, and then whenever I return he’s gone and killed them all! And I know it’s him because they are always covered in purple spots!”

“Purple spots? Are you sure they aren’t just stick-ons?” Sportacus asked, leaning back against the pillows.

Robbie was actually laughing at this point. He had his arms wrapped around his middle and tears of mirth were falling from the corners of his eyes. There was not a tingle to his laughter like an elf’s, but it had a slight airiness to it that was a testament to his inhuman traits. Sportacus could not help but find it cute, even if he was a bit put off by Robbie’s reaction to someone killing plants.

“They aren’t,” Robbie answered for him, wiping tears from his eyes. “I got that idea from him. Glanni actually poisons things…”

“What?!” Sportacus was appalled. 

Robbie snorted, “He likes extremes.”

Íþró huffed and folded his arms, “Well, it’s a nuisance. And he doesn’t _stop!”_

Robbie’s eyebrow raised, “How long has he been doing it?”

“Four years, at least!” Íþró pouted. “So many flowers…their lives were so short…”

“You know, Glanni doesn’t usually put effort into one specific thing for so long,” Robbie said pointedly, grinning wickedly. “He gets bored. He likes new things.”

Íþró stopped pacing to give Robbie a look, “Then why does he keep doing it?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Robbie questioned.

Sportacus chuckled and nodded, “It is. Although, his methods are questionable. This Glanni seems like a very strange person.”

“And Robbie isn’t?” Íþró argued defensively. “He sleeps in a chair.”

“Glanni sleeps in the trunk of a car.”

Íþró’s mouth fell open, _”He does what?”_

Robbie shrugged, “He doesn’t really sleep all at once. So he sleeps in his car in-between-“

Robbie cut himself off, and Íþró leaned in closely to Robbie with concern on his face.

“In-between what?” Íþró demanded. “What does he do?”

“Nope, I’m not saying,” Robbie said dismissively. “He’d kill me.”

Íþró huffed, “Is it at least legal?”

“Never.”

“Frábær.”

“But he is a good brother, no matter what he does,” Robbie smiled. “If it wasn’t for him, who knows what would have happened.”

Sportacus smiled, “So, what did he do after that?”

“Well, for starters, he helped me build my lair,” Robbie said. “He was good at magic like that, and he taught me how to do it in the process. He also made sure I was eating plenty of sugar, along with meat, so I would get some of my health back. I was so…sickly back then, it makes me queasy just thinking about it.”

“You’re skinny _now_ , so I can only imagine,” Sportacus commented with a frown.

Robbie nodded and sighed, “Yes. After that, we spent months here, with him teaching me magic spells and such. He made sure I was safe, and if we ever needed to get out of town he made sure nobody would notice me at all. The thing was, number nine seemed to have forgotten about me, and so we let out guards down a bit.”

Sportacus and Íþró’s eyes widened, and Robbie closed his eyes with a frown.

_Robbie headed towards the grocery store, avoiding every adult that he could. He knew they weren’t dangerous, but all adults bothered him ever since what happened. They were all larger than him, and could easily get him to do what they wanted. Robbie was getting stronger, physically and mentally, but he could not help but think the worst. Any time an adult got near him, he had flashbacks of being taken against his will. It was horrible, and a constantly a struggle, but Robbie persevered. He refused to be taken down by the goblin. Robbie took note of the warded pothole in the ground, a trap for the goblin to fall into. Of course, it had been there for weeks, and it had yet to work. Their traps were pointless…_

_Turning and seeing number nine at the playground, playing with all of the kids as the adults looked on at him, Robbie shuddered in fear, and turned towards the store. He just needed to get some sugar and flour, and then he could go home. He would have gone with Glanni, but his brother had to leave for a short trip to take care of some business. It was not the first time his brother had to leave, and nothing bad ever happened when he did. Robbie would be okay._

_“Oh, there you are my sweet.”_

_Robbie froze as number nine’s voice spoke behind him, and he could not move a muscle. He closed his eyes when number nine whispered in his ear._

_“Where have you been, my little birdie?”_

_Robbie swallowed, “Everywhere except where you were.”_

_“Don’t think I haven’t seen you around here, with that other fae outcast,” number nine hissed as he reached up to turn Robbie around._

_However, his hands withdrew sharply with a grunt of pain, and Robbie turned around in shock. Number nine’s hands were bleeding, and Robbie was confused._

_“Hmm…well played fae,” number nine grumbled, looking at Robbie with evil intent. “Putting a ward around yourself?”_

_Glanni._

_Robbie’s eyes widened, and he looked down at himself. Glanni had put a protection around him, keeping number nine from ever touching him again. He felt his legs shake in relief, and a small smile appeared on his face._

_“Don’t look so happy, you little fuck,” number nine growled. “If I can’t have you, then I guess I’ll have to make do with someone else.”_

_Robbie looked at number nine with wide eyes, seeing the other kids playing on the playground out of his peripheral vision. Number nine smirked and folded his arms._

_“That’s right,” he hissed. “And don’t even think of stopping me, because it won’t work. They are all under my spell, and if you try attacking me they will see you as a threat. You and that other fae whore.”_

_Robbie’s eyes lit up with a fire he didn’t know he had, “You stay away from them!”_

_“Make me.”_

_Number nine turned around and waltzed over to the other kids, and Robbie felt tears form in his eyes again as he shook in anger and frustration. The other kids were going to be hurt, all because of him. If he had just stayed with number nine, or even just listened to his mother when she warned him about flying on his own…_

_Robbie ran back to his lair, and fell onto the ground to cry. When Glanni returned, he immediately rushed to Robbie’s side._

_“Robbie? What happened?” Glanni asked, tilting his brother’s face up in concern. “Sweetie, tell me what’s wrong! Did he hurt you?”_

_Robbie pushed Glanni away from him so hard that his brother fell over, and stood abruptly. His eyes were red from his tears, and he felt anger in him that he had never felt before. Glanni watched him carefully, shocked at his brother’s violent behavior._

_“What have you done?” Robbie demanded. “I never asked you to put a ward around me!”_

_Glanni frowned, “I did it to keep him away from you. What’s wrong with that?”_

_“He can’t touch me, Glanni!” Robbie yelled, waving his arms frantically. “And now he’s going to go after the others!”_

_Glanni’s eyes widened, and he reached out to pull Robbie close. Robbie protested for a moment, but eventually succumbed to his brother’s hold and melted against him. Robbie had only ever felt sad or angry for things that had happened to himself. He did not know how to react when it involved something else, especially his friends. Solla was such a sweet girl, and if anything happened to her he would personally cause the end of the world. And Bessie, sure she talked a lot, but she had good intentions! Milford might be a little odd, but he literally meant well! None of them deserved anything bad, and if anything did happen it would be all Robbie’s fault._

_“Glanni we can’t let him!” Robbie cried._

_“I know,” Glanni whispered. “We’ll think of something, we’re faeries.”_

_“Half,” Robbie muttered. “If we were full fae then maybe we wouldn’t have so much trouble…”_

_Glanni pulled away, “Look, we are going to fix this, I promise. I don’t know how, but we will.”_

_Robbie shook his head, “We’ve tried getting rid of him, but nothing works! He sees through all of the wards, and he doesn’t fall for any of the traps!”_

_“He’s a goblin, of course he doesn’t,” Glanni stated with a pointed expression. “If they were easy to catch there wouldn’t be so many problems.”_

_“What do propose we do then, huh?” Robbie glared at his brother in frustration._

_“…Get help.”_

_“Excuse me?”_

_Glanni huffed, “Look, I’m not happy about this either. But what if we can’t do this alone?”_

_“Glanni you are a wanted fae! If anyone finds out that you are helping me, they will kill you!” Robbie exclaimed. “We can’t get help!”_

_“Then I’ll leave!” Glanni cried out, his voice cracking. “And then you can call in an elf or something to help get rid of number nine!  
Robbie rubbed his eyes, falling down on the floor with a small sob. He did not want his brother to leave him alone, not after everything that had already happened. Glanni sat down beside him, and pulled him against him again._

_“Robbie, it will be okay, I promise,” Glanni whispered. “I can give you a list of options, and I’ll leave you with all of my magic and fae books. And you know how to tap into my money account, so you don’t have to worry about that.”_

_“I don’t want to be alone, Glanni…”_

_Glanni kissed Robbie’s head, “It’s the only way to get rid of him, and you know it. You’re smart, Robbie. I can find you a sports elf to help protect the town, and then you’ll be safe.”_

_“But you won’t be able to come back,” Robbie whispered with wide eyes. “Because they might catch you.”_

_Glanni gave him a sad smile, and Robbie latched onto his brother. Deep down, Robbie knew his brother was right, but that did not make the situation any easier. He loved the connection he and Glanni had. They loved each other deeply, and Robbie would always feel protected and safe. Glanni was the only thing Robbie had since his ordeal with number nine that kept him grounded and sane. For Glanni to leave, it was almost like Robbie would have to start all over in recovering._

_“Robbie, you know that I love you, right?” Glanni asked, more for himself._

_Robbie nodded, unable to answer._

_~*~_

_Glanni left a week later, leaving Robbie with an abundance of resources. He had books, lists of elf mailing addresses, food, money, and pretty much anything else that Robbie would ever need. Glanni had even left him his blanket, and Robbie knew that he would never be able to part with the thing._

_It took Robbie a total of one hour to begin his plan to get rid of number nine. Discarding the elf addresses, Robbie began flipping through all of the magical books his brother had left him. He did not want to call any elves, because he was too afraid they would be goblins in disguise. Not that he doubted his brother’s knowledge, but with goblins one could never be too careful._

_Robbie quickly found the number to a fae/elf delivery service, and he found himself ordering even more books and having some recommended to him. They arrived in his home in only a few seconds (thank you magic), and Robbie found himself a bit overwhelmed from the amount of spells and curses he could use._

_Over the course of the next couple of years, Robbie used practically every single method he could. He started off small, with some more potholes and trip-wires. He made himself disguises so that the goblin would not know that it was him (and he eventually got very good at it), and would try to encourage the other kids to stay at home where they were safe. He knew that number nine was doing things to them…but they were so influenced by the goblin’s spell that they did not even think that it was bad. They were artificially happy, and it made Robbie’s heart ache to know that he was the only one who could see through the charm. However, Robbie could easily pretend that it was not happening…at least until he saw a huge, dark bruise on Solla’s neck where number nine had probably choked her. She had a smile plastered on her face, completely unaware, and Robbie’s eyes shown with fury._

_That was when Robbie began to use alternate methods._

_Once again, he started off small. He began by making plant life in Lazytown stop growing, decreasing the healthy food supply drastically. He had hoped it would make the goblin leave long enough for him to be able to cast a ward around the town, but to his dismay the goblin simply pulled out a packet of fairy dust that he probable collected from Robbie’s own wings and sprinkled it over the dead plants. The plants immediately sprung back to life, and the townspeople rejoiced at their “hero”. Number nine then pointed at Robbie, declaring the he had been to one to kill the plants. Thus begun the chant of “Robbie Rotten!” and people dancing around him like he was cursed._

_Robbie tried to cast a sleeping spell on the goblin, to no avail. He tried to trick the goblin into leaving, to no avail. He tried tricking the other townspeople to drive him out, to no avail. He even tried more traps for the goblin to fall into, which were made much better then before, but those did not work. His favorite was the poisoned sportscandy trees he created in the forest, hoping the number nine would eat one and die. Robbie’s magical abilities’ increased drastically, but the goblin was too clever. The townspeople always blamed Robbie for everything; their randomly appearing bruises, their lack of energy because the goblin never let them rest… Oh, was Bessie’s phone not working? Robbie’s fault. Did Milford’s record disappear? Robbie’s fault. Solla woke up woke up with stiff legs? Must be Robbie._

_It was an affect of the charm number nine put around the town, as a defense to keep Robbie from hurting him. Robbie knew this, but that did not stop him from trying. Glanni wrote now and then, asking if he had gotten any sports elves to help him get rid of number nine, and Robbie would lie and write that the goblin was just being too tricky. He did not have the heart to tell his brother that he had taken up the task alone._

_It was just after Robbie walked out into town to see (the now young adult) Solla sitting on a bench crying while holding an apple that he came up with a wicked idea. He walked up to her and asked her what was wrong, and she flinched from him like he had hit her. She had a black eye, her lip bloody, and her legs were not adorned with her usual tights._

_“Robbie…” she whispered, looking down at her apple. “I…something weird is going on.”_

_Robbie sat down beside her, “I know.”_

_“I just…” Solla shook her head in confusion. “I can’t think clearly anymore, and I hurt everywhere!”_

_Robbie took her hand in his, and she gasped in surprise._

_“You should leave,” Robbie muttered darkly. “Go to a different town for a while.”_

_Solla frowned, “But I like it here… I think.”_

_“Please, Solla,” Robbie urged. “Go.”_

_Solla looked at Robbie with tears in her eyes, before she nodded solemnly, “Yeah…I’ll just take a vacation…”_

_“A vacation,” Robbie echoed._

_She turned to Robbie with a small smile, “Promise me that you won’t do anything stupid while I’m gone.”_

_Robbie kissed her hand, “I promise.”_

_“I know you’re crossing your fingers.”_

_Robbie smirked, before squeezing her hand and standing up. He helped Solla get up, and took her to her home. Before she shut the door, she turned and kissed Robbie’s cheek with tears in her eyes. With a teary smile, Solla closed the door._

_That was the last time Robbie ever saw her._

_Turning around, Robbie’s gaze darkened at the sight of number nine watching him. He walked over to the goblin, and number nine growled at him threateningly._

_“I see what you’re doing,” number nine hissed. “You think getting rid of them all will work? I’ll make sure it doesn’t.”_

_“Get out of this town,” Robbie growled, his fangs bared._

_Number nine glared at Robbie, thoughtfully tapping his finger against his chin. Number nine was thinking about it?_

_“How about we make a deal, Rotten?”_

_Robbie’s eyes widened._

_“I’ll leave town…but you have to show me where your lair is.”_

_His teeth clenched, Robbie knew exactly what the goblin was trying to do. If Robbie let him into his lair, the ward that Glanni cast to keep the goblin off him would disappear. By letting number nine into the place he lived, the magic would assume that he trusted him. But, he said he would leave…_

_No._

_“Over my dead body,” Robbie hissed._

_Number nine shrugged, “Have it your way, then.”_

Robbie‘s hands were clasped against his lips, his eyes closed in thought. Sportacus watched him carefully, and Íþró had sat down on the bed again to listen.

“If I had known…” Robbie whispered.

“Robbie, nobody blames you for not taking his offer,” Sportacus reassured him. 

“Although, it would have gotten rid of him-“

“Íþró!” Sportacus scolded angrily, his eyes flashing. “He could have killed Robbie!”

Robbie swallowed, “I should have taken his offer.”

Sportacus turned to Robbie, “What? Why?”

Robbie sighed with a deep frown.

_Robbie had been relieved when he had seen that Solla had left, although a part of his heart ached when she did. He loved her, he really did. Had things gone differently, he might have even married her. She was the only one of the other kids who seemed more self-aware of what was going on, even if she could not completely see through the wards. She was never the one to say that Robbie was the cause of what happened, showing that she was stronger than everyone else. She trusted Robbie, at least more so than anyone else._

_But that was in the past, and Robbie was content knowing that she would be okay._

_He had been walking around the town, looking for anything odd, when he heard a loud yell and a chorus of screaming. Turned in the direction of the noise, he ran. Robbie ran until he reached the forest of sportscandy trees, and the sight he saw made him sick to his stomach. Hanging from one of the trees was Milford, a large bloody wound on the side of his head, and he was unconscious. His skin had gone pale from blood loss, and it appeared that his ankle was broken where he was hanging. The others were trying to think of a way to get him down, and without thinking twice, Robbie held his hands out in front of him and cast a spell to lift him out. Luckily, number nine’s glamour kept them from seeing what had actually happened. Running over, Robbie checked on the young man, relieved to find that he was alive. However, he was in horrible shape, and was bleeding rapidly. Picking him up, Robbie ran to the hospital._

_He remembered waiting outside of the room, hoping that the doctor would give him some good news. He had been about to ask when he saw number nine casually walk into the room. Bessie called out his name with relief, and number nine smiled while his eyes remained fixed on Robbie. Robbie glared at number nine, and he figured that the goblin knew what he would say before he had even said it. The doctor came out a while later, saying that Milford would be okay, but he might suffer from some slight brain damage that may or may not be permanent. Overall, he would be all right, but his life would be a bit different._

_Robbie left the hospital, cocking his head to motion for number nine to follow him. Without a single word exchanged between the two, Robbie led number nine towards the direction of his lair. As they neared it, Robbie turned to the goblin with a furious and fiery gaze._

_“Swear it.”_

_Number nine put his hand over his heart, “I swear to leave Lazy Town once you show me your home.”_

_Goblins were not excused from being unable to go back on swears. It was a trait in most mythical beings, and Robbie knew that. Robbie swallowed, knowing that whatever would happen would be unpleasant, and he only hoped that number nine did not kill him._

_Turning back around, Robbie led number nine to his lair. The moment the two entered, Robbie felt his heart sink in fear. Number nine tackled him to the ground, an evil grin on his face._

_“Finally,” he growled out, his hands running up over Robbie. “You’ll regret everything you’ve ever done.”_

_Number nine hoisted Robbie over his shoulder, taking him into Robbie’s bedroom. After the horrors of that night, Robbie never slept in his bed again. He couldn’t. He could barely even go in the room._

_When Robbie awoke the next morning, he was cold and covered in blood. Looking over to his left he saw number nine putting on the last of his clothes. The goblin smirked at the weary fae, and waved it him mockingly._

_“Get out,” Robbie croaked out, flinching at the pain between his legs._

_“I am, don’t worry,” the goblin giggled._

_Robbie’s eyes narrowed, “Why do you sound so happy about it?”_

_Number nine jumped onto the bed and straddled Robbie, and the fae gasped and flinched in fear. Leaning down the goblin whispered in his ear, running his hands over Robbie’s bloodied chest._

_“I said I would leave,” he cooed. “I never said I wouldn’t come back.”_

_Robbie’s eyes widened in fear as the goblin cackled and got off of him. Turning around one last time as he headed towards the door, the goblin grinned._

_“Enjoy the presents I left you.”_

_Robbie felt tears run down his face as the goblin left, and he carefully got out of the bed. What presents? What was he talking about? Stumbling out towards his books, the pain all over his body so bad he could barely stand, he opened a marked page and began speaking incantations. He had to act fast. Robbie cast a ward over the entire town, around all of the houses, over everything that he could find. It was almost sunset when he had finished, and Robbie was exhausted. He stumbled back into his lair and fell in his chair with a cry of pain, hoping that some sleep would help him heal a bit faster._

_It took Robbie a total of twenty seconds to realize that he could not sleep._

_His eyes widened, he summoned a mirror and looked at his face. The whites of his eyes were completely purple, startling him, and his skin was a pale white. Number nine had cursed him! He had cursed him to be unable to sleep, and just when Robbie needed sleep more than ever. Robbie could not stop the onslaught of tears and fell back against his chair in agony, wide awake the whole time._

“So, you are cursed?” Sportacus asked. “And that’s why you can’t sleep?”

Robbie shook his head, “I got rid of the curse a few months later, once I figured out how. It turned out number nine gave me more than one curse, and so it took a while to get rid of all of them.”

“What others did he give you?”

“I couldn’t sleep until my body gave out from exhaustion, which was generally every three days. Once I did fall asleep, I would have nightmares,” Robbie whispered. “He also made it to where I would throw up almost everything I ate, so I got sick and weak again. Luckily that one did not have too many side effects, other than I have trouble eating anything other than sugar. I used to be able to eat meat as much as I wanted, but I have to be careful now. I do still get nightmares, though, and I have insomnia. The curses are gone, but they have imprinted themselves on me.”

“Oh Robbie-“

“That’s really all there is to tell of the story. I created the poisoned trees to kill him,” Robbie admitted. “I wanted him _dead.”_

“I can’t really blame you,” Íþró said, sighing in exhaustion from the load of information. “I…I’m sorry for yelling at you earlier. If I had known-“

“Now you do,” Robbie said curtly. “Now please…go. I need to be alone for a bit. Besides, Stephanie will probably wake up soon, so she’ll need someone to play with and tell her everything is okay. I’m worried about her.”

“She’s a strong girl,” Íþró commented, looking towards her distantly. “Reminds me of someone…”

“Solla.”

Sportacus looked up curiously, “Solla? The girl that you had a crush on?”

Robbie frowned, “I didn’t have a crush on Solla, I fell in _love_ with her. I loved her so much that I made her leave.”

“She left of her own accord-“

“No, she didn’t,” Robbie frowned. “I charmed her when I held her hand. I influenced her decision.”

Sportacus’ eyes softened and Íþró pitied the poor man. 

“Do you…still…?” Sportacus asked slowly.

Robbie rolled his eyes, “Sportacus, that was over forty years ago. Besides…she’s…dead now.”

Sportacus nodded, pouting a little. On one hand he felt horrible that Robbie went through that, but on the other hand he felt a little jealous. He knew it was stupid, and he would not say anything, but that didn’t mean the feeling was not there. If anything, he felt more sad for Robbie. The love of his life had to be sent away, and just when he thought he might be able to see her again, he finds out she’s dead.

“Solla is Stephanie’s mother,” Robbie whispered. “I knew Stephanie reminded me of her when she came to town, and I asked her what her mother’s name was a while later. Then she told me that her mother had been in an accident.”

“That’s so sad…” Íþró said softly.

“Yeah, and I don’t want to think about it anymore,” Robbie groaned. “I just need to sleep.”

“Alright, I’ll…be in there, I guess,” Íþró said as he left the room. “Call if you need anything.”

Sportacus looked at Robbie as the man got up to leave.

“Robbie!” he called out, a little embarrassed form his outburst.

Robbie turned, “Yes?”

“…Stay here.”

“Excuse me?” Robbie frowned. “I told you I don’t like being in this room-“

“Please,” Sportacus whispered. “I don’t want you to be alone, but I can’t move very well. Please just stay.”

Robbie stood in the doorway for a while, his eyes speaking a thousand tales. With a shaky breath, Robbie shut the door and crawled into the bed next to Sportacus. Sportacus turned over onto his side a little and took Robbie’s hand in his, and the fae reached up to tuck a strand of blond hair behind the elf’s pointed ear.

“Good night, Robbie,” Sportacus whispered. “I promise that I won’t let anyone hurt you ever again.”

Robbie swallowed, “Don’t make promises you can’t keep.”

“I will keep it,” Sportacus put Robbie’s hand over his heart. “I swear.”

Robbie gasped, “Sportacus, you know what will happen if something happens to me now-“

“Nothing will,” Sportacus replied, thumb running over Robbie’s cheek soothingly. “Go to sleep.”

Robbie let out a shaky sigh, closing his eyes unwillingly. Sleep claimed him sooner than he liked to admit, and Sportacus fell asleep a few minutes later. They would have a lot to talk about the next day, but for that moment…everything seemed like it would be okay. 

They did not notice the figure peeking at them through the window.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaah, so sorry for not updating! I've just been so swamped with work that I haven't really had time to do much of anything. This is a shorter chapter, sorry, but I feel like it is a decent place to stop. I know where I'm going with this story, mostly, but I need more time deciding _how_ I'm going to get there. 
> 
> Anyway, thank you all for being so patient! Hopefully the next chapter should be up sooner, but please don't hate me if it isn't.

Chapter Text

Robbie stirred from his slumber. It was about five in the morning, form what he could tell. He very warm, and was lying on a pillow that was not very soft. He wondered where the pillow came from, because the only ones that he owned were comfortable. Slowly opening his eyes, he realized he was not lying on a pillow at all. Instead, Robbie was lying on Sportacus’ shoulder, with his hand on the elf’s bare chest. He felt something flutter in his stomach, and he slowly removed himself from the elf.

As Robbie turned around to get off of the bed, he gasped and his heart flew to his chest.

“Sorry!” Stephanie whispered urgently. “I just wanted to see if you and Sportacus were okay!”

Robbie calmed himself down, evening his breathing. Looking down at the terrified girl, Robbie held his hand out towards her. She took it after a moment, and he got up and pulled her out of the room. They passed by a sleeping Íþró as he led her into his kitchen, letting her sit down on the counter. The poor girl was still in shock after what had happened, he could tell. She was doing her best to not show it, but Robbie could sense her fear. He did the best thing he could think of, and pulled out some milk. Getting out a small saucepan, he poured the milk into it and set it on the stove, and then dug around in a cabinet for some chocolate.

“Robbie…?” Stephanie whispered.

“Hm?” Robbie responded, putting some chocolate into the warming milk.

“…Are you human?”

Robbie stilled for a moment, before turning to Stephanie. He walked over towards her, and with a sad smile he shook his head.

“I am a Fae,” Robbie said gently.

“Then…why don’t you have wings?” Stephanie frowned.

“I…they were taken from me, a long time ago,” Robbie answered, turning back to the stove. “By a very bad man.”

Stephanie gasped, her eyes wide. Tears filled them, and she began to shake. Robbie noticed and quickly went back over to her, wrapping his arms around her gently. She rubbed at her eyes, and then wrapped her own arms around Robbie’s middle. She had been through so much over the past couple of days that this information was caused the dam of emotion to burst.

“I…I’m sorry!” she cried softly.

“Shh, don’t be,” Robbie cooed, petting her hair. “It’s not your fault.”

Tears stained his clothes as Stephanie nuzzled her face against his chest. After she had calmed down a little, she spoke in a quiet voice. Robbie felt his heart ache at her pain, but was grateful for the warm contact. Stephanie was not the only one who had been through a lot…

“Why do bad things happen to good people?”

“You think I am good?” Robbie teased, trying to lighten the mood a bit.

“Of course!” Stephanie looked up at him, “If you weren’t, you wouldn’t do so many nice things.”

Robbie wiped some tears from her cheeks, leaning down to place a small kiss on her forehead. A small little puff of faerie dust, ever so small, fell from where he kissed her. She gasped, wide-eyed at him, and Robbie knew that she understood what had happened.

It was rumored that the reason fae were so standoffish towards others of different species was because they had a special sort of magic. It was true, but not everyone believed it. A single kiss from a fae was sort of like a promise. It was a promise that they would never bring harm to that person, and that they would do anything for them. It was a promise only shared by those fae trusted dearly, or those who meant a lot to them. Robbie had kissed Ziggy’s cheek when he was a baby, but had refrained from doing it again. It was a lot of responsibility to be bound by that sort of magic.

Stephanie’s lip trembled, and she flung her arms around him again. He held her for a moment, stroking her pink hair gently. Glancing over to milk on the stove, he was pleased to see that it had melted the chocolate. He removed himself from her, and went over to stir it. He then poured it into two small cups, adding some extra sugar to one for himself, and handed the other to Stephanie. She took it gratefully, letting the beverage warm her up a little.

“Are you alright?” Robbie asked seriously. “Do you need anything?”

“I’m okay. I…I just got so scared…” Stephanie whispered, her head lowered a little. “I thought that…I lost him too.”

“Well, Sportacus is alright,” Robbie reassured her. “He even woke up last night while you were sleeping.”

“He did?” Stephanie gasped, relieved.

“Yes,” Robbie nodded, leaning against the counter. “And he was doing much better.”

Stephanie looked at Robbie, “Thank you, for saving him. If he had…d-died…I don’t know what I would do…”

Her hands trembled, and Robbie reached over to steady them.

“It would be like losing a father to you,” Robbie whispered, and Stephanie nodded as she held back a sob. “Stephanie, everything is going to be okay, I promise. I won’t let what happened to your mother happen to him.”

Stephanie gave Robbie a half-hearted smile, “Thank you, Robbie.”

Robbie squeezed her hand before releasing it, and sipping his hot chocolate. Stephanie sipped her own, humming at the pleasant taste.

“Robbie, what exactly happened to Sportacus, anyway?” Stephanie asked.

Robbie sighed, knowing that this question would have eventually been brought up. He could not necessarily lie to the girl, she was too smart, but he would definitely leave out a substantial amount of information. Unlike Sportacus and Íþró, she did not need the full story.

“A very long time ago, a bad man came to this town with me. He did a lot of bad things, and so I tried to stop him,” Robbie explained carefully. “But he was a lot stronger than me, and I was still very young. Not much older than you, actually.”

“Was it the same man who took your wings away?” Stephanie asked, eyes wide.

“Yes, it was the same man,” Robbie said. “And he was going to do a lot of other bad things to everyone, and so I set a lot of traps to catch him. None of them worked, so…I tried something else. I created a few poisonous sportscandy trees around the forest, so if he ever wanted to eat one he would…”

Stephanie looked down at her hot chocolate, eyes wide, “You were going to kill him?”

Robbie swallowed, unable to find the correct words, “I…”

“Did you?” Stephanie asked with a frown. “Did you kill him?”

“No. He never ate any of it,” Robbie sighed. “After he left I got rid of the trees, but I missed one by accident.”

“Are there any more?” Stephanie asked. “What if one of us eats it?”

“It won’t hurt any of…the townspeople,” Robbie said, turning to Stephanie with shining eyes. “Those trees weren’t actually a problem to anyone until you showed up.”

Stephanie reeled back a little, “Why?”

Robbie reached up and tucked Stephanie’s pink hair behind one pointed ear. Her hand flew up to cover it instinctively, not used to them showing in public.

“The poison only hurts elves and goblins,” Robbie said. “And you…are half elf.”

Stephanie frowned, "What if I ate it, then?

"That's exactly my point," Robbie sighed. "It wasn't a problem until after you showed up."

Stephanie looked down at her hot chocolate again, trying to process everything. Robbie gently took one of her trembling hands in his, and he offered her a gentle smile.

The two stood at drank their hot chocolate in a soothing silence. After everything that had happened, Stephanie seemed to be taking the information fairly well. She was still overwhelmed, Robbie could tell, but she would be okay. Knowing that Sportacus would be okay seemed to help her cope.

Robbie was also a bit overwhelmed by everything. He still felt a bit on edge, even though he knew that Íþró was not number nine. He was also mentally exhausted from telling the two elves about his tales of woe, and needed time to be able to recover. For the first time in his life, there were people who finally knew and understood the true story of what had happened. For the first time, Robbie did not feel completely alone, but he was also terrified that he would be hurt because of it.

“Do you think the bad man will come back?” Stephanie asked quietly, eyes fearful as she sipped her hot chocolate.

Robbie froze, “I…I don’t know.”

Stephanie swallowed, looking at her hot chocolate swirl around in her cup.

“What’s all this?”

The two turned to see Íþró walking into the kitchen with a yawn. He sniffed the air, and made a face at the sweet smell of chocolate.

“Really?” he said sarcastically. “Sugar this early in the morning? You should try fish oil.”

“Well, excuse me,” Robbie frowned, “This is my breakfast, thank you. And I think Stephanie more than deserves a treat.”

Íþró looked back and forth between the two. He saw Robbie’s exhausted expression with dark under eye circles, and Stephanie’s shaken form as she slowly sipped the cocoa. His eyes softened as he watched her shuffle toward Robbie a little bit, most likely since he was more familiar to her.

“I suppose…a little sugar won’t kill her,” he agreed with a sigh. “But she needs something substantial to eat later.”

Robbie rolled his eyes, “What? Do you think I’m an idiot?”

“Well-“

“It’s amazing how Ziggy survived infancy,” Robbie hissed. “You know, because I don’t know how to take care of children.”

Íþró held his hands up defensively, “I never said you didn’t. I just…old habits die hard, I suppose.”

Robbie huffed and sipped his hot chocolate defiantly, and Stephanie giggled a bit at the encounter. Íþró walked over to her and gave her a sweet smile, and Robbie nearly gagged at the scent of fish coming from his breath. Honestly, he never could understand what the deal was with elves and fish. He was lucky Sportacus at least seemed to brush his teeth or something; otherwise Robbie might have died at an early age. He loathed fish.

“How are you feeling today, sweetheart?” Íþró asked gently. “Do you need anything?”

“No, I’m okay,” Stephanie answered. “Thank you.”

“Such a polite girl,” Íþró complimented, before tilting his head. “You know, I met your mother once. She was also very polite! A bit stiff, but nothing that a little stretching couldn’t fix!”

Stephanie’s eyes widened, “You knew my Mommy?”

Robbie’s eyes widened. Why hadn’t Íþró mentioned that the night before? Perhaps it was because Robbie was a bit unstable…

“Yes, she moved to the town that was in for a time,” Íþró smiled. “Very sweet, I always admired her.”

Robbie eyed Íþró, still a bit uneasy at his appearance. The similarities between the elf and number nine were uncanny, and Robbie did not like it at all. Íþró did have a sort of, life in his eyes that number nine had not had, and he was certainly more energetic. However, they looked more or less the same, and it warranted unwanted memories.

It was then that Robbie felt something. There was small little inkling of something, and Robbie’s upper lip twitched at the feeling. It only lasted a brief moment before disappearing, and Robbie made a face. Turning back, he saw the other two looking at him curiously.

“You okay, Robbie?” Stephanie asked.

“I’m always okay,” Robbie answered, looking around his lair. “I just…it’s nothing. Probably just the weather.”

Íþró was not so easily convinced. Robbie had looked worried, at least for a brief moment. Walking over to the other, lowering his voice so that Stephanie could not hear, the elf spoke.

“What did you feel?”

Robbie turned to the elf, still a bit uncomfortable around Íþró. His shoulders were stiff, and his eyes a bit wider than usual. The fae did not answer, eying Íþró up at down with a scrutinizing gaze.

“Sportacus!”

The two turned to see Sportacus slowly walking towards them. Stephanie hopped off of the counter, setting her hot chocolate down which caused the contents to splash a little. She ran up and flung her arms around him tightly, burying her face into his chest. Sportacus stumbled a bit, but wrapped his arms around her as well. He tilted her chin up to look at him, and spoke in a quiet and concerned voice.

“Are you alright, Stephanie?” he asked.

Stephanie simply lowered her face back down and squeezed Sportacus as tightly as she could, a small shaky smile appearing on her lips. Sportacus hugged her for a long while, and looked up at Robbie and Íþró. Robbie’s eyes caught Sportacus’ gaze, and the two stared for a moment. Robbie noticed that Sportacus was not wearing his hat, his curly, golden locks free to frame his face.

“Shouldn’t you be resting?” Robbie scolded lightly, knowing it was futile.

Sportacus shrugged, “I feel fine. A little tired, but I probably just need breakfast.”

Stephanie let go of him, and led him towards the kitchen. Sportacus sat down on a stool, and Stephanie sat down on the counter next to him. She reached over and tucked a piece of curly hair behind Sportacus’ pointed ear, and the elf gasped, his hands coming up to cover his ears. Stephanie giggled at his reaction, and Sportacus only looked distraught and lost for words. Íþró raised an eyebrow, chewing on a carrot that he had found in Robbie’s refrigerator.

“Uh…Stephanie…”

“Sportacus, I know you’re an elf,” Stephanie smiled kindly.

Sportacus’s mouth simply hung open, and Robbie snickered as he rummaged through his fridge to find something suitable for Sportacus to eat. Grabbing some leftover potatoes from his previous dinner, he put them in his microwave to heat them up. He had put a lot of condiments on his own, but the potatoes that he had left over were completely plain. After they heated up he placed them in front of Sportacus with a fork, and Íþró hummed in slight disapproval.

“Yes?” Robbie snapped.

“He needs fish,” Íþró said simply.

“I don’t have any fish,” Robbie replied dryly.

Íþró looked appalled, and Sportacus sighed.

“Íþró, it’s fine,” Sportacus rolled his eyes. “I don’t need any fish.”

“Of course you do! Just look at you!” Íþró frowned. “You’re all pasty-“

“He’s not.”

Íþró turned to Robbie with a glare, and Robbie glared right back. Sportacus frowned and ate the potatoes slowly, watching the tension between the elf and fae rise with each passing moment.

“He needs something besides a starch! It’s filling, but he needs something with more vitamin content!” Íþró hissed.

“It will do for now, until he can go back to his ship!” Robbie growled back, his hackles rising.

“After everything you’ve done, you’re just going to send him home?” Íþró took a step forward, causing Robbie to flinch back.

“Stop!”

Everything in the room fell to silence, the tension falling to pay immediate attention to the small pink haired girl. Stephanie had gotten off the counter and stood in front of Robbie, her hands on Íþró’s chest to keep him away. She had tears in her eyes, shaking in anger and fear.

“Just stop!” she cried out, trembling. “P-please!”

Robbie gently reached over to take her pull her hands away from Íþró, and she turned around to bury her face on Robbie’s torso. Robbie stroked her hair gently, crouching down and whispering to her gently. Íþró and Sportacus watched him calm her down, wiping away her tears as they came. He looked incredibly worried, and Sportacus felt a sense of pride rush through him. Had the situation not been so upsetting, he might have said so.

Íþró felt a bit ashamed of his temper, hoping he did not scare Stephanie, “I’m sorry, I did not mean to upset you.”

Stephanie turned to Íþró, “I just don’t want anyone else getting hurt…”

“I know, I’m sorry,” Íþró said gently.

“He’s just overprotective,” Sportacus smiled at Stephanie, who immediately ran back to his side. “He won’t hurt anyone, I promise.”

Robbie shuddered, having so much to say, but refraining for Stephanie’s sake. She needed to go home, tell her uncle where she had been, but he did not really want to let her. After that feeling he’d had, he did not want to risk anything else happing to her.

It was then that Robbie’s phone rang, and after giving it a slightly confused glance he answered it.

“Hello?” Robbie asked. “Ah, yes, she’s with Sportacus and I.”

Sportacus turned to Stephanie, who in turn looked at him. She stared at him with the strangest gaze, one that Sportacus did not know how to respond to. He could feel her pain, which was troubling in a way, and he could tell that there was something on her mind. Reaching up to hold her hand, he tilted his head.

“Stephanie, is there something the matter?” Sportacus asked.

“She probably just needs some fish,” Íþró muttered to himself. “Growing elves need their strength, after all.”

Stephanie and Sportacus sighed dramatically. Stephanie insisted that she got enough nutrients, and Sportacus argued that fish did not solve _everything_.

Íþró gave Sportacus a disappointed look, “She needs nutrients so she can grow and be strong! She’s been living off of nothing but vegetables and fruit, she needs some protein or else she’ll never be up to her full potential!”

“There are other sources of protein than fish, Íþró!” Sportacus shook his head, a little irritated. “She's very healthy, and well cared for, I assure you!"

“Uh, yes mayor, I’ll bring her back by lunch,” Robbie said into the phone. “Sorry for not calling you. Okay, yes- bye bye!”

He hung up quickly, watching the elves bicker with each other.

“What do you-“ Íþró looked so bewildered. “Well sure, there are other sources, but what is a better one than fish?”

Stephanie groaned, leaning her head onto Robbie's shoulder dramatically. He had not see her so frustrated since that time he'd pretended to be a Lazy Scouts master, and nobody would play with her. It was somewhat amusing.

"You know what, Íþró? I don't even _like_ fish!" Sportacus said through lidded eyes, glaring at his brother playfully. 

Íþró looked downright offended, and Robbie let out a barking laugh. The elf's hand clutched his chest in horror, and Sportacus simply ate his potatoes.

"I can't believe we are related," Íþró muttered.

Robbie couldn’t help but smile.They really were elves in every sense of the word. Robbie felt a little bit like an outsider, intruding on their happiness. They didn’t need him; they didn’t need a broken fae trampling their happiness. Running a hand through his unkempt hair, Robbie finished his drink. The rush of sugar was much appreciated, and as much as he hated to admit it, he had slept fairly well the night before. However, it was short lived, and there was no way in hell he was going to ask Sportacus to sleep beside him from that moment on simply because of one night’s rest. No, he would not stoop that low.

Robbie slunk out of the kitchen while the three elves conversed with each other, and headed outside of his lair. He needed some fresh air, and a moment away from everyone. He could not think clearly when in the presence of others. He climbed out through the hatch of his lair, and stood behind the billboard, which hid his home. He wrapped his arms around himself, shivering from the freezing air. Snow covered the ground and created a beautiful scene. Breathing in deeply, Robbie smelled the freshness of the air and closed his eyes.

“Robbie?”

Robbie jumped, and turned around with his hand clutching his chest. Sportacus stood there, still shirtless with his golden hair bouncing in the breeze. The morning sun lit up his tan skin, creating an unearthly glow. His blue eyes seemed to see through Robbie’s soul, and the fae felt his stomach turn in nervousness.

“Sorry! I didn’t mean to scare you!” Sportacus smiled sweetly. “I just wanted to let you know that Íþró and I are going to take Stephanie home in a few minutes.”

Robbie nodded, his voice shaky, “Yes…of course.”

Sportacus took a step forward, “Are you alright?”

Robbie nodded quickly, “I’m fine. Go on and take Stephanie home before her uncle has a heart attack.”

Sportacus tilted his head before nodding with a smile, turning around to go back down the hatch to get his brother. Robbie watched him as he went to leave, and was a little startled when Sportacus whipped back around.

“Oh, and thank you!” Sportacus said. “For helping me.”

Robbie frowned, but nodded, “Of course.”

Sportacus left then, and Robbie turned back around to look out at the snow. He heard the elves leave a few minutes later, Stephanie calling out a goodbye, and then he was left alone. Again. Robbie sighed, not knowing what to do now that he was by himself. Everything was okay, it seemed. Sportacus was fine, Stephanie would be okay (she was a strong girl), Íþró would hopefully go home at some point…and Robbie was not harmed in any way. Everything seemed to be fine in Lazy Town…and yet Robbie could not help but feel like something would happen. He refused to get his hopes up, because every time he did they were crushed.

Robbie felt his upper lip twitch in warning. It was a fae trait, one that he had never been able to quell even with his glamour. Which reminded him, he needed to put that back up at some point before he forgot. It felt strange to be without it, although a little bit freeing. His eyes surveyed the area, trying to pinpoint on whatever was giving off that strange energy. His instincts knew something was up, even if his eyes could not see it. The wards around town had not gone off, nor did anything bad seem to be going on… And yet, Robbie was still unsettled. It was almost as if there was something right in front of him, but he could not see it.

Shrugging it off after a while, Robbie went back down into his lair. He wanted to build something, to take his mind off of things.

A few hundred yards away, in the forest, a shadowy person smirked.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for the long wait :D I do plan on finishing this, it's just I don't have a lot of time. So I apologize if this one seemed rushed.

Sportacus caught a rogue soccer ball, smiling and telling Ziggy to try again. He and his brother were in the process of playing a game with the kids, but Sportacus had decided to take a small break to give Ziggy a few pointers. Being the youngest, he was still much farther behind the other children, and the elf wanted to make sure that the boy had a chance to actually kick a few balls. Besides, he might even end up showing Íþró how to actually handle children properly. His brother could be a bit rough, sometimes.

“Try again, Ziggy!” Sportacus urged, taking a goalie stance. 

“I’ll never get it past you, Sportacus!” Ziggy pouted, genuinely upset. “Playing sports is what you do, not me…”

“That’s because I practice every day!” Sportacus laughed. “I’m sure that if you keep trying you will get better. Maybe even better than me!”

Ziggy gasped, “Really?”

“Really,” Sportacus nodded. “So why don’t you give it one more shot?”

Ziggy nodded, determination on his face. He ran and grabbed the ball, before placing it down on the ground a decent distance from the elf. 

A few yards away, Robbie watched as Ziggy kicked the ball and actually hit it in the correct direction. Sportacus still caught it, but the elf praised the little boy for his improvement. Robbie felt the corners of his mouth begin to curl upwards, before he caught himself and shook his head frantically as he plastered a forced frown onto his face. The two elves and the children began to kick the ball around in a inaccurate game of soccer, and Robbie felt a headache forming from the loud noise. 

Usually he would be asleep at this time of day, or at least down in his lair. He had tried- oh had he tried –but the fae found that he had been unable to sleep because his mind was extremely noisy. It was like it was sending off warning signals, and Robbie had found himself seemingly on edge for the past couple of days. Ever since Sportacus’ near death experience, Robbie felt as though something ominous was looming over the area. And as much as the fae hated to admit it, it was not Íþró. Because of this, Robbie felt compelled to keep an extremely close eye on all of the children, which meant he had to sit through their constant noise.

Robbie watched Stephanie, keeping tabs on her varying expressions. After everything that had happened, he felt responsible for her wellbeing. For a while, her smiles seemed strained, but he was pleased to see that after a few days of recovering she was mostly back to her old self. He suspected being around Sportacus more was helping her cope, as he had seen the two of them playing games together when everyone else was too tired. He was glad she had someone to relate to, and the same went for Sportacus.

Robbie was busy toying with a small contraption, busying himself with something so he would not habitually fall asleep from the sunlight. He jumped out of his thoughts when he felt a pair of tiny hands roughly plant themselves on his knees, and looked down to see Ziggy’s sweaty, but excited face beaming up at him.

“Do you want to play soccer, Robbie?” Ziggy asked breathlessly. “You can be on my team!”

Robbie shook his head, gently ruffling his hair, “That’s alright, Ziggy. I’m a bit tired.”

“Well, maybe you should have some sportscandy!” Ziggy exclaimed. “That might give you more energy! I’ll go get some right now!”

Robbie opened his mouth to protest, but Ziggy had already disappeared around the corner. Robbie shook his head as he watched the small head of blond hair leave, and nearly had a heart attack when he heard a small chuckle beside him. Glancing over, he saw Sportacus standing beside the bench with a wide smile on his face. In contrast to Robbie’s constant paranoid mood, Sportacus seemed to be having the time of his life.

“He really is quite attached to you, isn’t he?” Sportacus laughed airily, grinning down at Robbie.

“It’s understandable,” Robbie raised an eyebrow. “Who wouldn’t be? I’m intelligent, clever, _devilishly_ handsome…”

Sportacus smirked, “Can’t argue with that!”

_Wait…what?”_

Robbie frowned as Sportacus sat down beside Robbie. Shaking his head, deciding he must have been hearing things, Robbie went back to fiddling with his small contraption.

“That boy is just as bad as you are, when it comes to giving me a headache,” Robbie murmured, turning the metallic cube every which way. 

Sportacus leaned over to peer at the object curiously, his head tilting in an endearing sort of way. Robbie tried to ignore the fact that his heart- may or may not -have started beating faster. Sportacus simply sat there, his head hovering over Robbie’s shoulder, watching as the man turned gears and flipped switches.

“Here!”

Robbie managed to hold his contraption away as Ziggy flung a small pile of various vegetables onto Robbie’s lap, and the man made a slightly disgusted face at the sight. They were still covered in dirt, and most likely soiled Robbie’s pants. 

“I didn’t know which one you might like, so I just got one of everything!” Ziggy smiled proudly.

Robbie groaned, and Sportacus snickered beside him.

“Well, Robbie?” Sportacus questioned. “Are you going to try one?”

Robbie glared at the elf out of the corner of his eye, before turning back to Ziggy with a strained smile.

“I think maybe it would be better if you gave these to your friends,” Robbie said gently.

“No!” Ziggy protested. “We already ate! Besides, I heard my mom talking to Miss Busybody about you and how much cake you eat, and it’s very bad for you, Robbie! I don’t want you to get sick, and…”

Ziggy trailed off, and Robbie felt his heart constrict. Sometimes Robbie had wished he’d never placed a binding charm on the boy, so he would never have felt so compelled to keep him happy and safe. Seeing Ziggy’s worried expression, Robbie felt his icy exterior melt in defeat.

“Alright, fine,” Robbie muttered. “But only the carrot. And you need to go wash it.”

Ziggy smiled and ran off with the carrot, “Okay!”

Once Ziggy had disappeared, Robbie turned to Sportacus with a glare, “Not a word.”

Sportacus smirked and laughed, flopping down onto the ground near Robbie’s feet. He began to do sit-ups, much to Robbie’s dismay.

“Do you mind?” Robbie demanded, his shoulders hunching up in annoyance. “Shouldn’t you be playing catch with those kids, or whatever?”

“And miss you eat a carrot?” Sportacus paused in mid-sit to grin and Robbie. 

Robbie avoided looking at the way the elf’s abs constricted as he held himself up, and simply resorted to fiddling with his contraption once more while muttering under his breath. 

After a moment, Robbie glanced up at the sky, slowly beginning to cover with clouds; it was going to snow later in the day, he could feel it. He felt a bit uneasy, but he was not sure if it was from the weather or not. Ziggy ran around the corner a few moments later, holding a dripping wet carrot. He had such a wide smile on his face, Robbie could practically feel his heart melt, and he knew that he had to actually eat the damn carrot or else the boy would be distraught.

“Here Robbie! It’s nice and clean for you! Miss Busybody made sure!” Ziggy exclaimed, holding out the carrot proudly.

Robbie took it with a strained smile, and tried not to notice how Sportacus stopped to stare.

“Thank you, Ziggy,” Robbie said, inspecting the orange object for any dirt.

“Eat it!” Ziggy said urgently. “Please, Robbie!”

Robbie sighed, thinking about how fast he could eat it before actually tasting the flavor. Deciding to just get it over with, Robbie opened his mouth hesitantly to take a bite.

Time stopped.

In less than a second Robbie had Ziggy in his clutches, the carrot forgotten, and wide eyes staring at his left. Sportacus got up, startled at Robbie’s sudden movements. He was about to ask what was wrong when the fae cut him off.

_”Get the kids inside.”_

Sportacus turned to the direction Robbie was staring, seeing nothing. 

“Robbie, what’s-“

 _”Get them inside, Sportacus!”_ Robbie barked at the elf, standing with Ziggy in his arms. 

Íþró had heard the commotion, and with a confused glance towards his brother he began to round up the children. Robbie made his way to the closest house, which happened to be the mayor’s, and made sure everyone got inside before closing the door. Ziggy was still in Robbie’s arms, slightly afraid from the fae’s outburst. Robbie whispered a quick charm over the house, sloppy but still enough, and took a moment to regain his composure.

The mayor walked out from the kitchen with a confused smile, “Is everything alright? Why is everyone inside?”

“Yes, everything is fine!” Sportacus smiled. “Uh…we just think that the kids would like some cocoa! Does that sound good?”

All of the children happily shouted and exclaimed their agreement. Everyone ran into the kitchen for their desired beverage, and Ziggy turned to Robbie with a worried smile.

“Robbie, you can put me down,” Ziggy said. 

“I know, I’m sorry,” Robbie said, crouching down to set him down.

Ziggy tilted his head, putting his hand on Robbie’s face with a pout, “Are you ok?”

Robbie nodded, “I am, go have some cocoa.”

Ziggy nodded, running into the kitchen to join his friends.

Robbie stood, his eyes meeting both elves’ confused gazes. Íþró looked annoyed, and a bit worried, judging Robbie for his seemingly random outburst. Sportacus looked concerned, edgy, and bounced on his feet a bit.

“Robbie…what happened?” Sportacus asked in a low tone. “Are you alright?”

Robbie shook his head violently, “I…I don’t know. I saw _something.”_

“You saw something?” Íþró asked sarcastically. 

Sportacus shot his brother a look before turning back to Robbie, “What did you see?”

“I-I’m not…sure…” Robbie frowned. “It was a shadow…w-with eyes…”

Íþró frowned, “A shadow? It could have been a squirrel or something.”

“They are hibernating this time of year, Íþró,” Sportacus corrected. 

“Well, fine not a squirrel…but there are other animals!” Íþró said. “Or it could have just been his peripheral vision playing tricks!”

“But what if it was actually something, or someone to be concerned about?” Sportacus frowned. 

“What if it wasn’t?” Íþró folded his arms. “What if he just ended the game for no reason, other than to give the kids sugar-“

The next moment was a blur for the three men. 

One moment, they were all calmly standing in a small circle. The next, Robbie had Íþró up against the wall, his hands clutching the elf’s shirt in both hands. Robbie’s grey eyes met Íþró’s golden ones, and the elf was stunned into silence. 

_”It had his eyes.”_ Robbie hissed at the elf. _”They stared at me.”_

Sportacus gently eased Robbie’s hands away from his brother, pulling the taller man against him. The fae was on edge, his magical energy sparking around him like electricity. Sportacus rubbed Robbie’s arms gently, trying to calm him down. At first, Robbie remained stiff under his touch, but slowly began to calm himself down.

“What if you’re seeing things…?” Íþró asked, before holding his hands up at Robbie’s furious gaze. “I’m just saying it is a possibility! I’m not saying you are lying!”

“I hate to admit it, Robbie, but you might just be a bit spooked after everything that has happened,” Sportacus said gently. “Maybe you should go sit down, drink something warm…I’m not sure how fae handle stress.”

Robbie’s shoulders slumped, and he pulled away from Sportacus with a growl and a huff, “Whatever.”

He walked into the kitchen, and grabbed some cocoa once the mayor had finished making it for the children. He then waltzed over into the living room and practically fell onto the couch. It was a bit strange being in the mayor’s house without invitation, but he was not about to let the kids out of his sight. Besides, it was so comfortably _warm_.

A few minutes later, Robbie felt a pair of eyes on him. Turning to snap at one of the elves, he paused when he saw Ziggy standing in the doorway. Raising an eyebrow at his shy behavior, Robbie patted the seat beside him. Ziggy practically flew into the room, his makeshift cape flying behind him, and he climbed onto the couch. Ziggy curled against Robbie’s side, his head resting somewhat on his chest.

“I’m sorry.”

Robbie choked a bit on his cocoa, and turned to the boy with a confused expression, “What? Sorry for what?”

“I tried to make you eat a carrot, and you got mad …” Ziggy pouted.

Robbie laughed softly, “Ziggy, I’m not upset with you, I promise.”

“Oh,” Ziggy perked up a little. “Well, then why are you upset?”

Robbie sighed, “I am just...I prefer for everyone to be inside right now.”

“Like when we made snowflakes?” Ziggy smiled. 

“Yes, exactly,” Robbie caressed Ziggy’s head gently. “Maybe we can make some more later.”

Ziggy sighed with a smile, “I’d like that!”

The two remained that way for a while, until Ziggy began to fall asleep. His head slowly began to slide down Robbie’s front until it rested on his lap, and when Robbie looked down he saw the boy’s eyes closed with a smile on his face. 

“Robbie?”

Robbie turned to see Sportacus move to sit beside Robbie and Ziggy, concern on his face.

“Íþró and I went looking around town, and we didn’t see anything,” Sportacus said gently.

Robbie sighed with a nod, running his fingers through Ziggy’s hair to calm himself down. The slow methodical breathing the boy had was helping as well. 

“Maybe I was seeing things,” Robbie frowned. “I’ve been on edge for the past few days, but maybe it’s from what happened.”

Sportacus reached over and patted Robbie’s shoulder, earning a disbelieving glare. Sportacus pulled away with a soft smile, and the two sat in silence. Robbie paused in stroking Ziggy’s hair when the boy shifted a bit, but then continued after he’d settled down again.

“No! That is _mine!”_ they heard Stingy complain in the other room.

Sportacus sighed, “That boy.”

“I think it’s funny,” Robbie chuckled. “He’s going to be a menace when he’s older.”

“Or in jail,” Sportacus replied dryly.

“He will probably own the jail,” Robbie retorted.

There was a moment of silence, and then Sportacus started laughing softly. Robbie smirked at his own joke, picking off a piece of lint from Ziggy’s cape. It took him a few moments to notice that Sportacus was staring at him, with an expression that Robbie could not quite place.

“What?” Robbie demanded. 

Sportacus jumped, looking around frantically at being caught, “Oh…uh…I just, I haven’t ever seen Ziggy sleep without candy before!”

Robbie raised an eyebrow, but humored the elf, “Yes…that is an unfortunate habit he picked up from me.”

Sportacus tilted his head, “Really?”

“Yes,” Robbie admitted. “Sometimes he would refuse to sleep alone when he was a baby, so I would hold him while I watched TV or something. I would get hungry, so I’d get a snack of candy, and I may or may not have let him have a bit…”

Sportacus looked appalled, “Robbie!”

“What? Trust me, when you have to take care of a baby every single day, you find that sometimes they cry for absolutely no reason. So, if you find something to get them to stop, you do because you are desperate and sleep deprived!” Robbie huffed. “Candy always got him to calm down. Plus, I didn’t know it was bad for human kids at the time, since it’s not for fae.”

Sportacus rubbed his temples, “No wonder…”

“I’d like to see _you_ take care of an infant for a week, and not do the same thing,” Robbie challenged. 

Robbie then gazed down at Ziggy, who was beginning to drool in his sleep. A fond look appeared in his eyes.

“He was an adorable baby though,” Robbie smiled. “Sometimes I miss it.”

Sportacus watched the two of them curiously, his heart warm at the sight.

“I don’t want him to change,” Robbie said softly. 

Sportacus sighed, understanding exactly what Robbie meant. Leaning over, Sportacus took Robbie’s hand in his.

“You might be surprised, that not all humans turn out bad,” Sportacus offered. “He will change, but maybe not as much as you worry he will.”

Robbie turned to Sportacus with a sad face, swallowing down the small lump in his throat.

“He is like my son, and I don’t know what I will do when he…leaves,” Robbie admitted, tears forming in his eyes. 

Sportacus put his hand on Robbie’s cheek, wiping away a single tear that fell from his eye. 

“I know,” was the only thing Sportacus could say.

He knew the pain of watching children grow up as well, and there was nothing anyone could do to help. Sometimes being a magical being was awful. Elves had lifespans just as long as fae did, and unfortunately humans did not.

Íþró walked into the room at that moment, just as Sportacus pulled his hand away from Robbie’s cheek.

“Hey, there is going to be a blizzard this evening,” he said. “I think we should take the kids back to their parents before it does.”

Sportacus nodded, “Alright.”

He turned back to Robbie as Íþró left to gather up the kids. Robbie shook his head when Sportacus asked if he needed help getting Ziggy up. The fae carefully picked up Ziggy, adjusting the boy to where his head was lying on his shoulder. Ziggy groaned and shifted a bit, but quickly fell back into a deep slumber. Robbie made a face as he stood up.

“Ugh, he’s getting heavy,” Robbie groaned, his lower back protesting.

Sportacus laughed, smiling at the endearing sight of Robbie carrying Ziggy.

The two elves decided to split into two groups of kids, with Íþró taking Trixie, and Pixel, while Sportacus and Robbie took Ziggy and Stingy home. After dropping Stingy off, Sportacus and Robbie made their way to Ziggy’s house. Robbie and Ziggy’s mother exchanged a few pleasantries, talking about the weather and what not. It had already begun to snow by the time they were finished.

“Would you like me to walk you home, Robbie?” Sportacus asked, careful to not sound forceful.

Robbie opened his mouth to refuse, but shut it and thought for a moment. Glancing around the area warily, as if he was searching for something. Looking back at Sportacus, he nodded slowly. He could not verbally bring himself to say yes.

With a relieved smile, Sportacus held out his arm as a small joke. Robbie rolled his eyes, but to the elf’s surprise he actually took it. His grip was firm, shaking a bit from the cold air. Sportacus did not miss the way Robbie’s gaze was frantically changing direction, surveying every single area of the town as they walked through it. As they left the main area of town, Robbie tripped on a heap of snow. Luckily, his grip on Sportacus’ arm kept him from falling, but if that had not been enough Sportacus would have caught him. The elf quickly reached out his other arm to help steady Robbie, but Robbie brushed him off with a blush on his face.

“Are you okay Robbie?” Sportacus asked.

“I’m always okay,” Robbie huffed.

The snow began to come down a bit harder at this point, and by the time the two reached Robbie’s lair they could barely see in front of them. Sportacus helped open the hatch, and Robbie began to climb in. He then motioned for Sportacus to follow, surprising the elf a bit. He followed after the taller man, closing the hatch behind him. 

Robbie shook the snow off of himself, and fell back into his fuzzy, orange chair. Sportacus stood a few feet away, not sure what to do.

“I didn’t think it would be smart to make you walk all the way back in this weather,” Robbie said after a moment. “You can sleep in my room again, if you would like. I never use it anyway.”

Sportacus nodded, opting to sit down on the floor. Robbie peeled his gloves and scarf off, making a face at the moist feeling of them. With a sigh and an eye roll he spoke.

“Fuck this,” he muttered, snapping his fingers.

His outfit changed with a puff of smoke, and he was in a comfy pair of purple and blue pajamas. Sportacus could not help but blush a bit at Robbie’s expert use of magic. Sports elves had magic too, but not in the same way. Their magic was more agricultural. They could grow plants in any weather, during any season, and they could create medicines with magic and herbs that could heal nearly any wound. Yes, they had magic, but it was much more subtle.

Fae, on the other hand were much more flamboyant with magic. It was part of their allure, after all.

It took Sportacus a few moments to realize that Robbie was watching him with a raised eyebrow. Sportacus looked away, blushing at being caught.

“Sport.”

Sportacus had to do a double-take at hearing his nickname, and with a reddened face he replied, “Yes, Robbie?”

“Do you want me to…” Robbie gestured to his soaked outfit.

Sportacus was about to say no, but then he wondered what it would feel like to have foreign magic around him. So, with a tiny stutter he said yes, and stared at Robbie with wide eyes. Robbie looked at him for a few moments, tapping his chin as if decided what to make Sportacus wear. Then, with a small smirk, he snapped his fingers and Sportacus was engulfed in purple, glittery smoke. 

When the smoke faded he glanced down and saw that he was wearing a pair of blue pajamas, similar to Robbie’s. 

“Where did you get this?” Sportacus asked in awe. “They are very soft.”

“Nowhere,” Robbie shrugged. “I just made them appear.”

Sportacus looked up, “Wow, that is really cool!”

Robbie blushed a bit, “It’s nothing, that is baby magic.”

Sportacus scooted up to where he was closer to Robbie, and the fae got off of his chair to join Sportacus on the floor. They could hear the wind howling above them as the blizzard made itself known, and Robbie snapped his fingers to make a large blanket appear on top of their legs.

“I just…I can’t shake this feeling,” Robbie said lowly. “That he is here.”

Sportacus took Robbie’s hand in a firm grip, “I know. I will keep an eye out, just in case. But until then, try to get some rest, okay? It’s not healthy to stress about it.”

“I am always stressed,” Robbie groaned.

Sportacus smiled and laughed a little, “I know. You are a fae.”

“Half fae,” Robbie corrected.

Sportacus shrugged, “Well, when most of us are stuck in one place our entire lives, the options get very slim.”

“Yes, I suppose they do,” Robbie chuckled. “Good thing you and I left when we did.”

Sportacus smiled with a small blush, “Yes, it is.”

The two of them sat like that for a while, comfortable even though they were on the floor. Robbie was a bit confused that he could be so calm around the elf, but he would be lying if he said he wasn’t. Sportacus was also confused that Robbie was behaving that way, but he welcomed it with open arms.

“Sportacus,” Robbie whispered, turning to look at the elf with a worried expression. “Promise me that you will look after everyone, because I’m not sure I can do it all on my own.”

Sportacus squeezed Robbie’s hand, “I always have, and I always will. I promise.”

“No,” Robbie frowned, sitting up and looking at him in the eyes. “I want you to _promise_ me.”

Sportacus stared for a long moment before Robbie’s words registered in his mind, and his eyes widened as a dark blush covered his face, “R-Robbie…is it really necessary?”

Robbie frowned, and Sportacus remembered how easily fae doubted. So, with a defeated sigh, he reached down and took Robbie’s other hand. With their hands conjoined, Sportacus whispered an elvish chant, and then kissed Robbie’s knuckles on both hands. Then, for good measure (and also because he felt like it) he quickly leaned up and pecked Robbie’s cheek. The fae spluttered and pulled away roughly, causing Sportacus to laugh.

“Really?!” Robbie exclaimed, his face a deep shade of red.

Sportacus simply shrugged, “Why not?”

The rest of the evening went along in a similar manner.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is taking so long ;'D Part of it is unmotivation, and part of it is a lot of school. And other things. I do want to finish this, I'm just not sure when and how it will happen. SO, this is what I have for now! It's kind of short, but hopefully it will do. :)

_The sun was shining._

_There were endless fields of tall grass and barley, gently rustling as they swayed in the light breeze. Wildflowers were scattered along the plain in all colors and shapes. There were a few trees, covered in ripe fruit ready to be picked. The sky was a deep blue, contrasting sharply to the fields._

_Sportacus felt the barley tickled his fingers as he made his way through the fields. It was very warm, but not hot. He did not have to look down to know that he was wearing his old linen tank top and cotton pants, along with his leather boots. His hair was also loose, and his golden curls blew in the wind. He did not ponder why he was wearing this outfit instead of his uniform. In fact, all of his attention was focused on the being in front of him._

_A few yards away, a tall figure stood in the midst of the barley. His back was to the elf, but Sportacus knew who the man was. Creamy silk cloth blew in the breeze, with a few well placed belts and clips holding the garments in place. Sportacus recognized this as formal fae garments, generally only used for very special occasions. His dark hair was not in its usual gelled up place, but was free to be messy and curl a bit. Not as much as Sportacus’, but enough to make it a bit unruly. A crown of wildflowers sat atop his head. Facing Sportacus, however, was a pair of moderately sized wings. Not as large as a full-blooded fae’s would be, but not small. They were purple and black, glittering in the sunlight alluringly. They twitched as the fae bent down to pick a dandelion puff out of the ground, and he turned as he stood. Sportacus and Robbie caught each other’s gaze, and Sportacus knew that he was doomed._

_Walking towards Sportacus with eyes full of determination and seduction, Robbie smiled in a wickedly beautiful way that showed a pair of small pointed incisors. His grey eyes sparkled in the sun, and did not look away from Sportacus even as he came within a foot of the elf. Holding the dandelion closer to Sportacus’ lips, Robbie leaned down to bring his own to Sportacus’ pointed ear._

_“Make a wish,” Robbie whispered softly._

_Sportacus took a moment, and Robbie waited without moving. Sportacus did wish. He wished for everything he wanted and more, and then blew the dandelion before his wish could disappear. As the last seed flew in the breeze, Robbie gently placed his lips on Sportacus’ cheek._

_Pulling away, Robbie dropped the stem of the dandelion on the ground, and reached up to run his fingers through Sportacus’ curls. Seemingly fascinated by the elf’s hair, Sportacus took it as an opportunity to run his hands up Robbie’s chest. Reaching up to wrap his arms around Robbie’s neck, he began to pull the fae closer. Robbie put his finger underneath Sportacus’ chin and made the elf look him in the eyes once more, and Sportacus felt a shiver run down his spine._

_He was beautiful._

_More beautiful than anyone or anything else the elf had ever seen._

_Robbie smiled, his eyes crinkling in joy, and the elf vowed to never let that image escape his mind. It was in that moment that Robbie began leaning down, their noses touching. Sportacus felt his heart stop as the fae’s lips drew within centimeters of his own._

~*~

Sportacus woke with a start.

His heart was racing, and for a moment he was disoriented and could not process his surroundings. After a few seconds of blinking and trying to regulate his breathing, Sportacus remembered the events of the night before. He had slept over in Robbie’s lair. In pajamas magically spelled onto his body; extremely comfortable pajamas. Despite his reiterating about going to bed at the same time, exercise in the day, and healthy eating habits, Sportacus had never slept quite as well as he had that night. He felt absolutely amazing, and if it were not blasphemous to say so, he would say that he could even sleep late. However, that was unacceptable as the town’s guardian. Well, second guardian. Robbie had laid claim to the town before he had ever even thought about going there.

With Robbie now on his mind, Sportacus glanced over to his left, expecting the fae to be asleep beside him. They had both fallen asleep on the floor, unintentionally, while watching a dorky romantic comedy on the fae’s television. Sportacus had never really watched any television, but he had to admit it was a nice change of pace. 

With a frown, Sportacus saw that Robbie was not anywhere near him. With that thought, Sportacus sat up and glanced around. It was then that he saw the fae staring out of his periscope, his hands rubbing his arms from the chill in the air. Seeing the man shiver did things to Sportacus he did not appreciate, and in a rush of protective emotions he got up and grabbed one of the blankets from the floor. Walking over as silent as a mouse, he wrapped Robbie up in the blanket.

Robbie jumped, startled, and turned to look at Sportacus with a worried expression. He had dark circles under his eyes, and Sportacus could only assume the fae had not slept nearly as well as he had. 

“Something’s not right,” was all Robbie said before turning to look back through his periscope.

“Robbie, Íþró and I looked all over town-“

“I _know!”_ Robbie growled out in annoyance. “That doesn’t mean you didn’t overlook something!”

Sportacus stood there, flexing his toes and rocking back and forth on his legs. Robbie had never been one to assume things completely out of the ordinary, so the elf had no reason to believe he had lost his mind. He and his brother _had_ searched Lazy Town…but Robbie was right. 

“Alright, how about you and I go looking ourselves?” Sportacus offered.

“We are snowed in,” Robbie mumbled. 

Sportacus’ shoulders slumped a bit.

Robbie pulled away and turned to the elf, his exhaustion obvious in his behavior. He was hugging the blanket around himself, shivering, with half-lidded eyes. He swayed a bit, like he was drunk, and yawned.

“Robbie, how much sleep did you get?” Sportacus asked.

“About an hour.”

Sportacus inhaled roughly, but before he could voice his opinion, Robbie shuffled forward a bit and his forehead fell onto Sportacus’ shoulder. The elf stood still for a moment before wrapping his arms around the fae, gently rubbing his back soothingly. Robbie yawned and made a pouty face, unhappy at how tired he was.

“Maybe you should lie down-“

“I can’t sleep,” Robbie mumbled against the elf’s shoulder. 

“You should at least try-“

“The nightmares will wake me up!” Robbie blurted out, pulling away with an annoyed expression. “I would love to sleep, believe me, but I just…I can’t! I try to, but I wake up after an hour or two.”

Sportacus was used to dealing with upset children, and he had a few tricks up his sleeve to help them calm down. This, however, was different. Children often riled up over small things that could be easily solved, but adults…were much more complicated. Sportacus could not just pat Robbie on the back and tell him it would be ok. In fact, he was a bit lost trying to think of a way to help.

“I just want to rest…”

Sportacus turned his head slightly, his nose lightly tickled by Robbie’s unkempt hair. It was unusual to see him so casual. Sportacus had to hold back a purr when he caught a light sent of plum wafting from him. Blinking, he shook away his unneeded thoughts.

“Robbie, you need to sit down,” Sportacus said gently. 

“I don’t-“

“Just for a moment,” Sportacus urged. “Please?”

Robbie pulled away to look him in the eyes. His eyes were shadowy and a bit bloodshot, and full of what could only be described as exhaustion. Sportacus lowered his hands to Robbie’s back, and gently pushed him forward. The fae grunted in annoyance, but complied and began to walk towards the orange recliner in the other area of the room. Robbie sat down in it, bringing his knees up to his chin with the blanket still wrapped around him.

Sportacus sat down on the ground in front of him, still a bit drowsy from the early morning. It was odd, but he could only assume it was the weather that caused it. After all, he performed much better in sunlight and fresh air.

“I know you think I am crazy, but I know that there is something there,” Robbie said wearily. “I can _feel_ it. Whether it is _him_ or not…it doesn’t matter. All I know is that it is something that is _not welcome.”_

Sportacus glanced up at Robbie, “I don’t think you are crazy.”

“Your brother does.”

“My brother _is_ a bit crazy.”

Robbie snickered, rubbing his eyes tiredly. After a moment, a frown reclaimed his face, and Robbie began to stare off into nothingness once more.

“I just…I don’t know what to do.”

Sportacus rested his head against the chair near Robbie’s foot, “Isn’t there a spell or charm you can cast?”

“There are, but…I can’t,” Robbie muttered.

Sportacus frowned, “You can’t?”

“I don’t have the books. I accidentally destroyed them when I was first starting to practice magic.”

“Oh. Well, can’t you get new ones?” Sportacus asked.

Robbie sighed and frowned, “…I don’t know where I would get them. And I’ve never needed those spells until now, since they are very simple.”

Silence fell between the two before Robbie inhaled sharply and jumped up from the chair, startling Sportacus a bit. He swayed and Sportacus quickly stood to keep the fae from falling over.

“What is it? Is something wrong-“

Before Sportacus could finish his sentence, he felt something cover his mouth. By the time he had processed Robbie’s lips on his, they were gone. The fae in question was smiling widely, his hair in all directions, and Sportacus felt as if he could not breath.

“You are a genius!” Robbie exclaimed, running off to find a piece of paper and a pen. “Glanni will know where to get them! Why didn’t I think of this sooner?”

Sportacus stood still, unable to move or form any coherent words. Robbie went to work sending his brother a letter, and all Sportacus could think of was how soft Robbie’s lips were. Sure, it was a mere peck on the lips, but it was far more than the elf had ever expected. 

~*~

Sportacus had been behaving strangely for the entirety of the day, or at least Robbie thought so. The snow had stopped falling, and so the elf had gone out to shovel it out of the way of Robbie’s latch and the roads in Lazy Town. When Robbie had offered to help with some of his magic, Sportacus refused with a very red expression and proceeded to leap out of the lair and not return. Odd.

Robbie decided to go out and help anyway, seeing as he had nothing else to do while waiting for his brother’s reply. Íþró was already there to assist Sportacus, but the children stayed inside because their parents deemed it unsafe. They were coddled a bit too much, even for Robbie’s tastes. 

It was while Robbie was casting a melting charm in one area of the road that he felt a familiar tingling up his spine, and there was a loud bang. Glancing over, Robbie saw a giant puff of pink, glittery smoke appear, and he could not help the wide smile from forming on his face. Running over in an instant, Robbie wrapped his lanky arms around Glanni, his face buried in the fae’s pink and fluffy coat.

“You came!” Robbie said excitedly. 

“I did,” Glanni smirked. “Are you alright? Is everything okay?”

Robbie nodded, “I am, for now at least.”

Glanni reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a large book, handing it to the other man with a raised eyebrow, “Need some practice with the simple spells?”

“Well, not exactly,” Robbie said, a frowned forming on his face. “It’s a long story, I’ll fill you in-“

At that moment, the entire calm and friendly atmosphere changed to one of fury and anger, as Glanni drew in a sharp inhale and pointed his cane at Íþró.

 _”You!”_ Glanni hissed.

Íþró grinned, “Hello!”

“Robbie, what the hell is that _thing_ doing here?” Glanni growled, his teeth bared.

“Well you see-“

“He is my brother, and he is helping us with a dilemma,” Sportacus answered with a cautious smile. “Sorry if it caused discomfort.”

 _”Discomfort!”_ Glanni huffed, his shoulders squared. “Don’t be ridiculous! I am completely, one-hundred percent unaffected by his presence!”

“Aw, and here I thought you would be happy to see me!” Íþró mockingly threw his hand up to his chest in shock, stumbling back a few steps.

“Happy?” Glanni’s voice lowered and his eyes darkened. “Oh yes, I’m sure anyone who was thrown into a damp, freezing, shithole of a prison cell by you would be so ecstatic to meet your acquaintance once more.”

“Well maybe if you hadn’t decided to use child slave labor as your tactic for making food I wouldn’t have had to!” Íþró huffed, walking forward to come within a foot of the other.

“Well, maybe if you ate more than just raw fish I wouldn’t have had to make different food!” Glanni replied.

“Fish is healthy!” Íþró retorted, his mustache twitching.

“Then why does it make you smell so bad?” Glanni countered, leaning down to growl and glare at the other.

The two of them simply stood there with angered expressions when Sportacus intervened, pulling Íþró away firmly. Robbie sighed and looked at Glanni with a frown.

“Child slave labor?” Robbie questioned.

“An exaggeration.”

“Ah.”

Glanni turned to Robbie, “So, are you going to fill me in on what is going on and why the aura around this town feels so unsettling, or shall I just sit over on that bench and wait a while?”


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I still have finals, and I don't think another update will come out as quickly as this one, but hey. Whatever. Also, sorry if there are some grammatical errors or something, but I just don't care enough about anything to look it over :D I loathe editing. Anyway, hope you enjoy! That last section of this chapter was more for my own amusement than anything...so maybe it will make you laugh too.

Glanni had stayed by to listen to Robbie (and occasionally Sportacus) tell him of what was going on, the two elves continuing to clear away the snow. Íþró did not say much other than grumbling under his breath, and glaring at Glanni suspiciously. It was to be expected, really, but Robbie would have preferred if the two got along a bit better. 

Glanni stood in thought, a scowl on his face as Robbie finished his story. He tapped his cane, glancing around the town. Íþró and Sportacus paused to look at Glanni questioningly. Glanni glanced at Íþró out of the corner of his eye, and the two stared for a long moment.

“Did you get tired old man?” Glanni asked with a sly grin.

Íþró huffed, “No! I was just waiting for you say something.”

“How polite,” Glanni drawled.

“I do want to finish this today, but I’m not sure how we will,” Sportacus sighed, looking around the vastly covered Lazy Town. 

Glanni rolled his eyes, and snapped his fingers. In a puff of glittery pink smoke, all of the snow on the roads disappeared. Íþró and Sportacus jumped, and while Íþró looked very annoyed Sportacus turned and smiled.

“Wow, thank you!” Sportacus thanked the fae, and Glanni nodded.

Íþró continued grumbling something about being nosy and prying into other people’s business, and Glanni smirked triumphantly before turning to Robbie.

“Have you searched the town?” Glanni asked.

Robbie nodded, paused, and then shook his head, “Íþró and Sportacus did. I was with the children.”

Glanni huffed and rolled his eyes, “Well of course they didn’t find anything!”

“Excuse me?!” Íþró exclaimed.

“Elves are practically useless when it comes to hunting goblins,” Glanni continued. “Anything that might seem strange would go unnoticed.”

_“I am right here-!”_

Glanni grabbed Robbie’s hand while rolling his eyes, “Come on. Let’s look ourselves.”

“HEY!”

~*~

Glanni and Robbie searched the entire town while the two elves kept the children (who had emerged from indoors) entertained. Robbie had been skeptical at first, not so sure if searching was going to do much other than waste precious time. On top of that, he was a bit wary of what they would find if they did find something.

And they did.

“There,” Glanni said, stopping a gate leading out of the town’s border.

He pointed his can towards the slightly open gate, walking forward cautiously. Robbie frowned, looking at the gate like it was going to jump up and eat him. He glanced at Glanni and saw a very troubled expression on the other man’s face, which morphed into a scowl. He poked the gate with his cane, which creaked loudly as it opened more.

“Well this isn’t good.”

“What?” Robbie hissed. “I thought the wards I put up were supposed to protect the town! So how is an open gate any issue? What, did he just walk in?”

“Well, yes,” Glanni growled lowly. “Because this gate is made out of steel, and maybe some aluminum.”

Robbie stood for a moment, processing the other’s words. Glanni crouched down and looked over the area carefully, poking and prodding. After a moment, Robbie’s eyes widened in fear as he realized what Glanni was implying.

“It isn’t iron.”

Glanni whispered a charm and the ground began to glow and sparkle in the shapes of fading green footsteps. Standing up and turning to Robbie, Glanni pointed at the footsteps with his cane.

“I believe we have discovered your goblin, Robbie,” Glanni made a disgusted face. “And the first thing that you need to do after we catch this son of a bitch, is change that damn gate. I thought I told you to do that years ago!”

“You have never mentioned an iron gate once!” Robbie frowned. “The only thing you have told me about iron is to stay away from it!”

“It’s called reading between the lines, Robbie.”

Robbie looked down at the footprints, “Should we follow them then?”

Glanni raised an eyebrow, “Without your boyfriend and his god forsaken asshat of a brother?”

Robbie’s face burned red and his lips twitched, “W-what?! He’s not my boyfriend!”

Glanni walked up to Robbie, and flicked his nose, “Do I look stupid?”

“Yes,” Robbie pouted. 

“Well then, I guess I’ll just go-“

“NO!” Robbie cried out, reached out and grasping his brother’s arms tightly.

Robbie knew that Glanni was only teasing him, in the way that brothers always do. The thought of Glanni leaving him right after what they had discovered had the fae shivering with fear. Glanni’s face softened and he reached his hand to place it on Robbie’s cheek, and he leaned in and gave his brother a small peck on his other cheek.

“It will be ok, I’m not going anywhere,” Glanni said gently. “We’ll find this son of a bitch and give him what he deserves.”

Robbie nodded, trying to breath evenly. Having Sportacus around had helped him get through a lot, but no one could give him quite as much comfort as his brother. After all, Glanni had taught him almost everything he knew.

“Now, as much as it pains me to say this, I think we should go get our elvish boy toys,” Glanni began walking ahead.

Robbie turned red again, “Please don’t call them that…”

“Why not?” Glanni smirked. “Well, maybe that term is more for my situation.”

Robbie sighed and followed his brother, his anxiety forgotten for the time being.

“For you it would be more like an elvish sweetheart,” Glanni laughed.

“Glanni!”

~*~

The two faeries had returned to the two elves, informing them of what they had discovered. Sportacus and Íþró glanced at each other when they were told of the gate, neither wanting to admit that they had not noticed that. Both had simply assumed the gate was iron and moved on, not wanting to go anywhere near it if it was. They were lucky that Glanni remembered that fae were much more perceptive to small details than elves were, otherwise the goblin would have been overlooked for even longer.

“I can’t believe there is actually a goblin here…” Íþró muttered as he sipped some unsweetened cocoa that Sportacus had made.

The group had decided to talk about their discovery in Robbie’s lair, since it was large and could accommodate the four of them much more easily than Sportacus or Íþró’s airships. Glanni had magically produced an extra couch and a table, and a wide variety of foods to suit both elvish and faerie palettes. 

“Of course there is, you idiot, Robbie said there was!” Glanni retorted, leaning down to grab a small bowl full of sugar cubes for his tea. “That’s why I’m here!”

“Well, I have yet to actually see a goblin!” Íþró huffed, munching on a carrot. 

Glanni turned to Íþró with a menacing glare, and Robbie stiffened beside him. Sportacus looked up from where he was sitting on the ground, eating an apple while watching everyone with widened eyes. Robbie looked at him and Sportacus gave the fae a small, reassuring smile. 

“Are you implying that my brother is a liar?” Glanni slowly stirred the sugar in his tea.

“No, I thought his mind was playing tricks. And for that, I would like to apologize,” Íþró admitted, giving Robbie a sympathetic gaze. “I should learn to be a bit more trusting.”

Robbie nodded his head, looking down at his own cup of tea.

“Although, I’m surprised he isn’t a liar, considering he’s _your_ brother,” Íþró muttered, biting down on his carrot.

Glanni tossed a handful of sugar cubes in his mouth, and Íþró grimaced in disgust. The fae then smirked wickedly at the elf, his pearly white teeth coating in sparkling sugar bits.

“Robbie does not lie,” Glanni purred. “But he is quite adept at stretching the truth.”

Robbie’s face burned, “Please stop.”

Glanni poked his side gently, “Don’t belittle yourself! If you had the heart for it, you could be quite the mastermind!”

Robbie rolled his eyes, “I’ve tried that, and I failed miserably.”

“Like I said,” Glanni sipped his tea, smacking his lips happily at the sugary taste. “You don’t have the heart for it.”

Robbie frowned at his own tea.

“I’m kind of jealous, actually,” Glanni said, watching Robbie out of the corner of his eye. “That you can be so _sweet_ all of the time.”

“Is there a point to this, or are you just trying to make me turn you into a cat?” Robbie glared at Glanni, his ears and face scarlet.

Glanni perked up, “A cat? Oh, you have such wonderful taste!”

The four of them sat around enjoying each other’s company for a few long moments, before Sportacus finally spoke up.

“So…has anyone ever actually gotten rid of a goblin before?” Sportacus asked after there was a small pause of silence. 

Íþró stiffened, “Well, when the goblin that was here a few decades back, we were actually in search of that particular one. We never caught him.”

Robbie looked down at his tea once more, the cup still fairly full. He watched as its dark contents swirled around his cup, and if he changed his perspective he could see his reflection. He looked tired.

“I have dealt with goblins before,” Glanni stated, sipping his tea. “Nasty creatures.”

Íþró frowned, “You’ve _dealt_ with them?”

“In poker.”

Íþró stared incredulously at the fae, and Glanni smirked.

“I’m kidding.”

Íþró sighed and leaned back on the couch, tossing a grape in his mouth.

“Actually, I have met a lot of goblins. Some on good terms, some on bad terms,” Glanni said thoughtfully. 

“What exactly _is it_ that you do?” Íþró questioned, appalled. “Besides being a mischievous, manipulative pixie?”

Glanni bristled, “I am _not_ a pixie!”

“Well, you are just as bad as they can be,” Íþró stated. “If not worse.”

 _”You take that back!”_ Glanni hissed, horrified. “How _dare_ you compare me to those horrible creatures!”

Sportacus interrupted, his hand raking through his hair, “Have you ever actually caught, or capture a goblin?”

“I have caught many goblins, I’ve tortured a few rather nasty ones,” Glanni turned to Sportacus. “I’ve also killed at least a dozen.”

There was a thick silence in the room. Sportacus was a bit wary, Íþró was horrified and angry, and Robbie was still staring at his tea. However, his thoughts swam with the idea of death. He did not like to dwell on things like that, whether it be his own or someone else’s. However, the thought that his brother had killed before did not surprise him.

“They were trying to hurt people,” Glanni growled out. “Just like that one that hurt Robbie.”

“Have any been in Latibær?” Íþró asked. “One that I might have missed?”

“Several,” Glanni said, reaching down for a piece of chocolate. “You didn’t think I kept coming back to pay you a visit, did you?”

Íþró frowned, not sure what he had thought. 

“Who?” Íþró asked. “Name one.”

Glanni turned to Íþró, his eyes glinting dangerously. The two stared into each other’s eyes for a long period of time, before Glanni grinned.

“Stina,” he said lowly.

Íþró sat there for a moment, before his eyes grew dangerously wide, “…Stina is dead.”

“Yes, but she was dead long before either of us got there” Glanni said. “The Stina that you and I met was a goblin, disguised as her.”

“B-but…weren’t you two…an item?” Íþró frowned, leaning forward onto his arms. 

Glanni grimaced, “Ah yes, you’re welcome. That was the absolute worst fucking lay I’ve ever had in my life.”

Íþró covered his ears, “Glanni!”

“She smelled of onions-“

_”Glanni!”_

Shuddering, a few sparkles of pink glitter fell from Glanni’s form, “Well, in any case, that deed is done. I more or less tricked her into telling me her real name, and how she was going to eat the children. Originally, I was going to hand her over, but then she discovered what I was doing and tried to kill me. So I killed her.”

Íþró leaned away from Glanni, “You and I need to have a serious talk on of these days.”

“I’ll pass, pumpkin,” Glanni sipped his tea.

Íþró turned red and shoved a handful of grapes into his mouth to give himself something to chew on, so he didn’t say anything stupid. Sportacus looked up at Robbie, who had not moved for a very long time.

“Robbie, are you okay?” Sportacus asked gently.

Glanni turned to see Robbie as pale as the snow outside, and his knuckles white as he gripped his teacup. Reaching over, Glanni took the cup away and set it down on the table. He put his hand on Robbie’s cheek, turning the other to face him. Looking into Robbie’s eyes, so full of worry and fear, Glanni felt his heart sink. His thumb caressed his face gently as he sighed.

“I haven’t seen that look on your face in a long time,” Glanni said softly. “And I hate it.”

Robbie swallowed, “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be, it isn’t your fault,” Glanni said, reaching down to hold Robbie’s hand. 

Glanni turned to Íþró, and Sportacus.

“Are you two willing to break a few rules to catch a goblin?” Glanni asked, his eyes menacing. 

Íþró hesitated, but Sportacus’ answer was immediate.

“Yes.”

“Sportacus, you don’t know Glanni’s methods the way that I do-“ Íþró started, but Sportacus held his hand up.

“No, sometimes rules are meant to be broken, especially if it involves someone you care about,” Sportacus said.

Robbie looked up and Sportacus gave him a smile. Some of Robbie’s worries and fears melted away, and he was starting to rethink what he had thought about his brother’s comforting arms. Maybe, just maybe, Sportacus’ would be even better.

“Well then,” Glanni stated, standing up with a wide grin. 

He glanced at everyone, tossing a sugar cube in his mouth.

“Let’s catch us a goblin.”

~*~

The four of them had decided to go about their plan after a good night’s rest, mainly for the two elves. They had both left to their ships, while Glanni and Robbie stayed in the lair. Neither were very sleepy, so they opted to sit on the couch and watch some television. It had been quite a while since the two had spent some quality time together, and they both had to admit it was nice. 

“So, when is the wedding?” Glanni asked, sipping at a glass of wine.

Robbie turned to Glanni with a blush, “I’m not getting married.”

“Yet.”

“Glanni!”

Glanni shrugged, “I’m just saying. I mean, he’s not bad, I admit.”

Robbie groaned, pulling his purple blanket up to hide his face. Glanni poked at Robbie’s knee with a small laugh.

“Come on, I’m just messing with you,” Glanni said before smiling softly. “I think it’s sweet.”

Robbie looked up at Glanni.

“I mean, he obviously cares about you. I don’t think he goes longer than one second without looking at you,” Glanni said. “Plus he’s strong, and handsome…and I am insanely curious to see what is underneath that hat of his.”

“Blond, curly hair,” Robbie said.

“Blond?” Glanni’s eyes widened. “Oh sweet Mother Theresa, you hit the jackpot.”

Robbie picked at some lint on his blanket, and Glanni tilted his head.

“I don’t understand why you don’t just catch him in a Faerie Ring, and be done with it,” Glanni sipped his wine.

“Well, I was about to ask the same about you and Íþró,” Robbie countered.

Glanni paused and made a face, “Íþró?”

“Do I look like an idiot?” Robbie grinned, flicking Glanni’s nose. “I think we both know that you _do_ keep going back to Latibær because of him.”

Glanni frowned, “I do not!”

“You do.”

“He’s disgusting!”

“He really isn’t.”

“He eats nothing but fish!” Glanni retched. “And he is always showing off his flips and shit!”

“You like a challenge.”

“He is the exact opposite of me,” Glanni frowned.

“Opposites attract,” Robbie smirked. “Glanni, come on, you are head over heels for him.”

“Please,” Glanni rolled his eyes. “Do not assume that I have that level of human emotion.”

Robbie scooted over to sit closer to Glanni, taking the wine from him and sipping it.

“Alright, maybe I do…want to take a ride on the wild side with him,” Glanni muttered. “But I’m not in love with him.”

“I never said you were,” Robbie stated. 

“Besides, he doesn’t want anything to do with me,” Glanni bemoaned, taking the glass and getting rid of it in one gulp. 

“Glanni, how many times has he put you in jail?” Robbie asked.

“Too many.”

“But why would he do that, when he could just drag you off to an elvish prison?” Robbie turned to Glanni. “One that you _couldn’t_ escape from.”

Glanni sat there in silence, his eyes widening slowly.

“Oh my god, you’re right.”

“He likes you.”

“…Oh we are definitely having a chat when this is over,” Glanni huffed. “How dare he keep that from me! We’ve been playing this idiotic cat and mouse game for years, when this whole time I could have been having the time of my life in elf land!”

Robbie smiled, leaning down the lay his head on Glanni’s lap. Glanni reached down and stroked Robbie’s hair soothingly, and he felt his eyelids grow heavy. Glanni knew a few charms to give Robbie a dreamless sleep, which he used to do a few decades back, and Robbie could feel the effects already.

"The first damn thing I'm doing when this is over, is pop open a bottle of elvish wine and drag that sweet ass of his to his god damn balloon," Glanni ranted. "We will drink the entire thing, and just before he is so buzzed he can't think straight, I'm going to strap him down and show him the true wonders of a power bottom. What do you think?"

Glanni looked down and saw Robbie fast asleep on his lap. With a smile, he leaned down and kissed his forehead.

“Sweet dreams, Robbie,” he whispered. “Everything will be okay, I promise.”


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Did y'all miss me? Probably not, but I'm back! I mean, I've technically been back from my trip for a couple of weeks, but I have had zero inspiration for anything. I've been sick, I've been stressed...I just...idk. But, I managed to get this out today, and hopefully the inspiration will stay. :D Thanks for all the reviews, and hopefully this chapter will be up to standards!

The precautions that Glanni took before verbally stating his plan were astounding, and Robbie felt he still had a lot to learn from his brother. After casting several charms, locking all of the doors and windows around Robbie’s lair, and even setting up alarms in case anyone tried to get in, Glanni finally sat down on the couch with a sigh of exhaustion.

The two elves continued to stand, fidgeting with their hands and rocking on their feet, and Robbie began to pace nervously. Glanni listed all of their options, and which ones _he_ would choose (which Íþró disagreed with). 

“But why do we need to learn its name?” Íþró questioned. “What, is it like Rumplestiltskin or something?”

Glanni tilted his head, “Well, that story has been a bit skewed over the centuries, but yes. I suppose so.”

“Skewed?” Sportacus asked.

“Well, in the originally story it was not Rumplestiltskin’s name that had to be found out, but rather a symbol,” Glanni said. “Which we should also look out for, just in case. However, these days goblins tend to go by names rather than symbols. It’s much more practical.”

“But what good will it do us?” Íþró questioned.

Robbie inhaled sharply, “Oh! How had I not thought of this before?!”

Glanni smirked, proud that Robbie figured it out so quickly. Leaning back, Glanni looked up at Íþró.

“There are a few spells and charms that are very well known among Fae culture that can be used to control and handle a wide variety of troublesome creatures,” Glanni explained, snapping his fingers and conjuring a book out of the air to flip through while he spoke. “They were invented around the same time period, particularly for Goblins, Mylings, and Lichs, but they can be used for practically any creature.”

He stopped at a page, scanning the spell to decide what he thought, and then continued flipping after shaking his head.

“The spells vary in intensity and difficulty depending on what it is the caster wishes to do. There are simpler spells that can get rid of the creature, at least for the time being, which are usually cast by younger Fae or the ill. I’m sure Robbie knows of a few, but they only do so much,” Glanni drawled, scanning another page. “To actually get rid of one for good…that requires a hell of a lot of skill.”

“And this is when you say that you have that skill,” Íþró commented sarcastically.

Glanni looked up, “Actually…”

He turned a page in the book without looking.

“I have never cast any that difficult,” Glanni stated.

Robbie turned to him, “Then how have you gotten rid of goblins before?”

Glanni sighed, “I am going to try to explain this as quickly as I can. So just don’t interrupt me, or I’ll backhand you.”

The two elves sat down, curious, and Robbie sat on the edge of the couch beside his brother.

“As much as it pains me to say this, Goblins come from the same family line as Fae and Elves. We are all similar in many ways, including ranks. Some Goblins are weak and pitiful, while others could snap your neck without a second thought. The Goblins that I have encountered were always more low-class, and were easy to get rid of. I have dealt with stronger ones before, but those were always a challenge, and I always had some assistance from some neighborhood trolls,” Glanni rubbed his nose. “This one, however -I can tell- is much different. He is… _strong.”_

Robbie stiffened, and Glanni reached up to pat his shoulder.

“I got here and the whole town felt like it was being consumed by this intimidating cloud,” Glanni frowned. “And the fact that he could completely change his body to look like that of a high-class elf, and not be caught for _decades_ is quite the feat to pull off. Heck, he’s probably snooping around outside as we speak.”

“So what you are saying is that it is going to take a high level spell to get rid of a high level goblin?” Sportacus asked.

Glanni nodded, “Exactly. I know one spell that would definitely work, but I’ve never used it…and it’s not exactly a stable spell.”

Robbie frowned, “What do you mean?”

“I mean that the magic is so rare and unused that there are a lot of faults, and mistakes written down,” Glanni frowned. “The only known Fae who has ever cast it and _not died_ was some old nutjob from like…six centuries ago, and he was the one that invented it. Everyone else either mispronounced something and blew up, their magic wasn’t stable enough to control the spell and everything went haywire, _or_ the spell itself was faulty and nobody could figure out the mistakes.”

“Absolutely not!” Robbie snatched the book away from Glanni, “I don’t want you practicing an unapproved spell, Glanni.”

“Well, it’s a little late for that,” Glanni chuckled, “We don’t have many other options. I have a few tricks up my sleeve that have worked on other goblins, but I have a feeling that this guy would know what we were up to.”

Robbie felt his hands twitch in anticipation, and his fingers tap with anxiety. All of this was beginning to take its toll on Robbie. Noticing this, Sportacus groaned and stood up. He walked over to Robbie and grabbed his hand, startling him a bit, and pulled him in the direction of the hatch.

“Come on, we are getting some fresh air,” Sportacus stated. 

“But what about-“

“You look like you are about to pass out,” Sportacus observed. “We need to just take a moment to soak in some sun.”

“I never liked the sun,” Robbie muttered, but did not struggle.

The two stepped out onto the top of Robbie’s lair, the bright sunshine beaming down on their faces. Sportacus took in a deep breath of cool air, smiling at the decent weather. Robbie reluctantly did the same, and had to admit that he did feel a bit better. 

“We will figure this out,” Sportacus said, turning to Robbie with a smile. “I promise.”

Robbie sighed, sitting down and clutching the spell book to his chest tightly, “I just…I just want this to be over.”

Sportacus gazed out at the scenery before him, “I know.”

“I feel very uneasy,” Robbie muttered. “Like something is going on and we don’t know about it.”

“Well, I’m sure it’s just-“

_Beep! Beep!_

Robbie and Sportacus both stiffened, and their eyes went horrifically wide. Robbie stopped breathing, and Sportacus looked back over to the pale fae.

 _”Someone’s in trouble,”_ Sportacus whispered.

Without another moment of hesitation, Sportacus shot off in the direction he felt drawn towards. Robbie screeched at his brother and Íþró before running after Sportacus like his life depended on it. His panic only grew worse when he noticed that Sportacus was running towards the kids, all huddled around something.

Robbie could see Glanni speaking to him, but it was muffled to the point he could not understand. Then there was a ring; a high-pitched wailing inside of his ears. It crippled him, but he managed to make his way past the children in the circle before collapsing. There was a strong stench of copper and dirt, along with the scent of day old candy. He could not hear anyone speak, but he knew that they were. All he could focus on was the small child in front of him.

Ziggy.

Carefully, Robbie lifted the boy into his arms, trying not to vomit or cry. He held the boy’s face to his, failing in his attempt to not cry, kissing and caressing his cheek and smearing blood. He could hear a voice, but it was far away. It wasn’t like it mattered anyway.

Nothing could heal Robbie’s shattered heart.

 _”Robbie!”_ Sportacus said firmly, unable to make the fae look at him.

Robbie was hysterical. He had formed a barrier around himself and Ziggy, keeping everyone else away. The children were all crying, no doubt from Robbie’s reaction. Of course, Sportacus couldn’t blame him for freaking out. At first glance, Ziggy looked absolutely horrible.

With a low growl of frustration, Sportacus managed to reach out and turn Robbie’s face towards his. Robbie growled, baring fangs in warning, and Sportacus caressed his cheek lovingly.

“Robbie,” Sportacus said gently. “Ziggy is ok!”

Robbie held Ziggy closer, shaking, but the barrier lifted slightly. Sportacus scooted closer and wiped away some of Robbie’s tears.

“He’s breathing, Robbie,” Sportacus whispered.

Robbie turned to Ziggy with wide eyes, watching as Ziggy’s chest rose and fell with each breath.

The wave of relief Robbie felt was so powerful he actually fell over into Sportacus’ arms as he sobbed hysterically. He began to hyperventilate with each breath, caressing Ziggy’s bloodstained hair, unable to do more than hold him close.

“Come on, let’s get him to the doctor,” Sportacus said, putting his arm around Robbie’s waist and lifting him into a stance.

Robbie, shakily, stood and walked with Sportacus. The elf glanced back at his brother with an infuriated expression.

“Íþró, you watch the kids and don’t let them out of your sight,” Sportacus said lowly. “Glanni, you start working on that spell.”

“NO!” Robbie screeched out, making the kids cry more.

Sportacus turned to the fae curled in his arms, clutching Ziggy close. Robbie’s eyes were wide, dark circles underneath them, his hair losing its hold a little and letting a few strands fall over his forehead. 

“I _won’t_ have him practice any unauthorized magic!” Robbie hissed. “Not after what happened the last time!”

“Robbie,” Glanni said carefully. “We don’t have any other choice-“

“NO!” Robbie cried out, his voice cracking.

Sportacus, pulled Robbie closer and shushed him softly. More tears escaped Robbie’s eyes, his heartbeat frantic. 

“What happened before?” Íþró questioned, confused.

“We will discuss it later, Ziggy needs our attention,” Sportacus said, before turning back to glance at Glanni.

Glanni was crouched down, holding Trixie and Stingy against him. The two had taken a liking to him, thinking that he was funny. The troublemakers were trying not to openly cry, but failed miserably, and Glanni took pity on them. They both reminded him of Robbie as a child.

Robbie nodded as the elf ushered him in the direction of the small hospital in town.

It turned out Ziggy was only suffering from a sugar crash and had fallen off of the seesaw and hit his head, at least…according to the doctor. To say Robbie was relieved was an understatement. Sportacus had quickly run to Ziggy’s mother’s and told her what had happened, informing her that he was alright and that he would take the boy home once the doctor had cleared him. Íþró and Glanni were also relieved to hear the news, but refused to let the children out of their sight. 

Returning to the doctor, Sportacus found Robbie sitting in the room with Ziggy still in his arms. The boy was clutching Robbie’s coller, his face buried in Robbie’s neck, snoring softly. Robbie was caressing his now clean hair, having charmed the blood away, careful not to disturb the stitches on Ziggy’s forehead. Sportacus’ heart warmed at the sight, and he couldn’t help a small smile from forming on his face.

“He woke up and started fussing with his stitches,” Robbie said softly. “The doctor gave him some Benadryl and he fell back to sleep.”

Sportacus nodded, “Yeah, he said that he could go home.”

Robbie frowned, holding Ziggy tighter. Sportacus sat down beside Robbie, and reached over to hold his hand.

“Robbie, he needs to go back to his mom,” Sportacus said. “He will be safe there, you made sure of it with all the charms you put up.”

Robbie turned to him with a whimper, “I know, I just…I don’t want to. I want to keep him close where I can see him.”

Sportacus leaned over and kissed Robbie’s cheek, making the fae blush a little, “I know.”

“It was the goblin, I’m sure of it,” Robbie whispered. “Ziggy had bite marks on his arm.”

Sportacus inhaled sharply, glancing over Ziggy’s arms to find nothing there.

“I charmed them away so the doctor wouldn’t ask questions,” Robbie explained. “Sportacus, we need to get rid of…of this _monster_ before it hurts anyone else!”

Sportacus rubbed Robbie’s back and nodded, “We will, I promise. Come on, let’s get Ziggy home so we can start planning.”

After a little more convincing, Robbie and Sportacus took Ziggy home. His mother thanked them profusely for making sure he was ok, and told them that she would give him a firm talking to about how much candy he’d been eating. She said she didn’t know where all the candy came from (Robbie figured it was probably Glanni), but she would make sure that he wouldn’t eat so much of it ever again; especially if he was going to hurt himself in the process. This seemed to make Robbie feel a little better, even if he was reluctant to leave (Sportacus noticed how he continued the conversation much longer than usual).

The two of them made their way back to the park, where Íþró and Glanni still were.

Glanni walked up to Robbie, taking his face in his hands and looking him over with worry, “Are you alright? Is Ziggy alright?”

“He’s fine,” Robbie stiffly replied. “Just needed a few stitches.”

Glanni tucked a loose strand of hair behind Robbie’s ear, glancing him over one more time. Robbie did not answer the other half of his question, but he could safely assume that Robbie was _not_ fine. 

“Mister Glanni!” Stingy said, coming up to tug on Glanni’s sleeve. “Will you come teach me how to play Poker now?”

Íþró smacked his face in disbelief, and Robbie couldn’t help but smile weakly. Glanni grinned down at Stingy. No doubt, the boy would have all the money he could ever need if he learned how to play poker.

“I think everyone should go home for today,” Sportacus cut in before Glanni could reply. “It’s getting late.”

The kids protested and cried out, saying that it wasn’t even sunset yet. Robbie was stiff beside Sportacus, and he knew that the fae would not leave the children out of supervised sight until they were safe at home.

“Well,” Íþró said slowly. “Glanni and I could stay and keep an eye on them, and spend some more time getting to know everyone. If he wants to, at least.”

Glanni turned to Íþró with a risen eyebrow, but saw Stingy’s pleading face and relented, “Alright, alright. Yes, I will stay, and yes I will teach you poker.”

 _”You will not-“_ Íþró began.

Turning to Robbie, Sportacus ushered them away from the kids and their siblings. At first Robbie would not budge, but knowing that Glanni was there helped convince him to leave. Glanni would protect them. The walk back to the lair was silent. Sportacus did not know how to do or say anything, not wanting to agitate Robbie any more than he already was. However, it appeared to not matter when Robbie reached down and took Sportacus’ hand.

Glancing over at the fae, Sportacus saw just how everything was taking its toll on him. Robbie’s eyes had a dangerous glint in them, but they were also dull with weariness. The circles beneath his eyes were darker than normal by several degrees, and his skin was pale. His hand held Sportacus’ firmly, with tremors running from his arm and down to his fingers. Sportacus ran his thumb over the other’s, trying to offer some comfort.

They reached the lair safely, getting inside without a word spoken. Robbie went and sat over on the couch, Sportacus sitting beside him.

“I can’t tell if I am actually sensing danger, or if I’m going crazy,” Robbie muttered darkly. “I k-know that I am paranoid as it is, b-but it can’t just be i-in my head!”

“It isn’t, I feel it too,” Sportacus said gently.

“Don’t lie to me!” Robbie snapped, ripping his hand way with a snarl. “You didn’t even know anything was going on until I said so!”

“That isn’t true,” Sportacus frowned. “I did sense something, I just didn’t know what!”

Robbie shook, his head falling into his hands, “No, no, no! Stop patronizing me!”

“Robbie, I’m not patronizing you!” Sportacus said, trying to stay calm. “I feel the presence too, it’s just you are more aware of it than I am! You were specifically looking for ominous magic in that area, whereas I had no lead.”

Robbie’s fingers dug into his scalp, his mind swirling, “N-no!”

Sportacus didn’t know what to do, and he was frustrated. It took all of his effort not to begin growling, knowing that Robbie was just stressed and scared. His hands clenched in his lap, Sportacus counted to ten; his favorite number. The anger did not dissipate, at least not until Robbie spoke again.

“T-tell m-me…y-you don’t f-feel anything!” Robbie managed, his voice thick as tears streamed from his eyes. “T-tell me I a-am c-crazy!”

Sportacus couldn’t help but reach down and pull the man into his embrace. Robbie shook his head, pushing against him roughly, asking in a strained voice to be let go. Sportacus did not listen. Instead, he only pulled Robbie closer, mumbling an old elvish charm his mother used to speak to him whenever he was teased for being small. 

Robbie’s fingers gripped Sportacus’ shirt, pushing weakly as the elf pulled him onto his lap. He shook and spread his fingers, suddenly pushing as hard as he could within the other’s embrace. A cry left his lips and his eyes opened wide, finding the elf’s eyes staring at him in worry. Robbie was one step from hobbling off of the other’s lap, but felt himself unable to move. Sportacus was still whispering the charm, and Robbie felt his anxiety and stress lowering slightly. Sportacus’ hand slowly went up to cup Robbie’s cheek, the other slightly above him from height difference, and felt slightly relieved that the other pushed his cheek against the palm of his hand. Robbie’s arms were still outstretched from where he had pushed, his fingers gripping his uniform tightly. 

“T-tell m-me t-this is all i-in m-my head,” Robbie whispered out, his voice unable to remain steady as more tears fell.

Sportacus shook his head as he whispered the charm, reaching his other hand up to rest in between Robbie’s shoulder blades. Robbie shook, not wanting to believe that any of this was happening. He didn’t want the kids to be in danger, especially Ziggy. He didn’t want anyone else to get hurt because of him, and he didn’t want to be such a mess of a person. 

Robbie didn’t realize that he was beginning to have another anxiety attack until he felt Sportacus’ hand going up and down, the other wiping away his tears as the elf whispered. Robbie frowned, his usually hidden fangs peaking out as he grabbed the elf’s shoulders and shook him.

 _”TELL ME!”_ Robbie cried out, his voice hoarse and broken. _”Please!”_

Sportacus stopped whispering, looking at Robbie with an emotion that the fae could not quite place. Then, Sportacus reached up to hold Robbie’s face, gently and quickly pulling him close enough for their lips to press together in a firm kiss. Robbie inhaled sharply, wanting to pull away and also wanting to be closer. All thoughts of what had been happening flew from his mind, and all he could focus on was the elf in front of him.

It wasn’t until Sportacus began to pull away that Robbie responded by frantically pulling him closer. His hands tugged at his uniform, threatening to rip the fabric, before moving up to grab at his neck. He ripped Sportacus’ hat off, moving his fingers up to pull at the elf’s hair, trying to touch as much of him as he could. More tears fell from his eyes, crying while trying to get the elf as close to him as possible. Sportacus held him close as Robbie panicked, kissing him as firmly as he could in the hopes that it would calm him down, and yet all it did was seem to make the fae worse. They pulled away as Robbie gasped for air, sobs wracking his whole body. 

Sportacus pulled him down, adjusting so that Robbie’s face was at the crook of his neck. He let him cry, softly humming an old tune to try and calm him down. It was incredibly hard to calm down a fae, he came to realize, but eventually he managed to do so. He just had to hold Robbie close, pressing a few kisses around his face, whispering that everything would be okay.

Robbie cried for over an hour, and even after he stopped he still hiccupped and breathed through a snotty nose. The fae’s fingers were digging into Sportacus’ sides, but the elf would not dare try to move him. It also did not take a genius to realize that Robbie was sleepy from crying, but he was trying to stay awake.

Sportacus began humming an old lullaby. It was only a matter of minutes before Robbie’s eyelids fluttered shut, and he began to snore.

~*~

“They are just so _cute!_ I want to leave them like this!”

Robbie could hear voices speaking in hushed tones, and he felt himself frown in protest. He was against something very warm, and very firm. It definitely was not his chair or his blankie. His fingers fluttered against the object, rubbing up and down as he tried to figure out what it was. It had ridges, and it was…moving?

“Oh gods, I wish I had brought a video camera,” another voice said.

Robbie decided it wasn’t worth caring about, and snuggled into the object with a yawn. He felt like garbage anyway. 

“We need to wake them up and start talking about the plan,” the voice continued.

“But they are so cute and all snuggled up!” the other voice protested with a whine. “Why can’t you ever do anything cute like that?”

“Who would I snuggle up with? Officer Obtuse?”

_”Me you idiot!”_

“Why? So you can pick pocket me, or murder me with your heels?”

“Both if you don’t tread carefully,” the voice growled. “Besides, I wouldn’t pick pocket you anyway. All I’d find is fish and plant seeds.”

“Can’t deny that.”

Robbie groaned in frustration, finding it impossible to sleep when those two were bickering at each other. He buried his nose into the object he was lying on, and sighed at the pleasant smell of flowers and grass. It smelled like… _elves._

Robbie’s eyes shot open and he looked up to see Sportacus’ sleeping face. He was lying…on Sportacus. Slowly, Robbie began remembering how he’d gotten there, and a dark and unwanted, scarlet blush formed over his cheeks and ears.

“Good morning my little butterfly!” Glanni’s voice teased with a grin. “I see you two lovebirds really got it on while we were away!”

Robbie wanted to growl, but all that came out was a whimper of embarrassment as he buried his face back into the crook of Sportacus’ neck. He wanted to move so they would stop teasing, but he was so comfy and warm…and _safe_.

Sportacus began stirring, his arm coming to pull Robbie closer. The fae blushed more, if possible, and began poking at the elf’s cheek to wake him.

 _”Sportaflop!”_ Robbie hissed. “Wake up!”

Sportacus’ mustache twitched as his eyes opened, waking up rather quickly. He glanced down at Robbie, over at his brother and Glanni, and then back at Robbie.

“Hi Robbie.”

Robbie groaned, “Just get up!”

Glanni was snickering, and Íþró raised an eyebrow at Sportacus with a smirk on his face. Sportacus’ cheeks tinged pink a bit, and his pointed ears twitched. It was then that Robbie realized that the elf did not have his hat on, and his ears were on full display. Oh, how nice they were…

He cleared his throat when he realized he was staring, and when Sportacus’ blush darkened he knew he had been caught. 

“Alright! Well, now that the two of you are up, we need to start talking about what to do,” Íþró said. “Now, Robbie does not agree with the use of that spell, and in all honesty…neither do I-“

“Aw, you are so _sweet_ to care about me like that!” Glanni purred, throwing his heeled foot over Íþró’s knee.

Íþró made a face and inched away, a bit nervous.

“Yes, well, anyway,” Íþró shook his head. “We need to think of another way to get rid of this guy other than some old spell that nobody knows how to use. There has to be another way…”

“Well sure, but I don’t know what that way is,” Glanni said. “And I doubt anyone wants to use this town as a testing sight for different ideas.”

Sportacus shook his head, “Maybe…instead of trying to get rid of the goblin, we should just catch it. That way Íþró and I can take it to the council and let them handle everything. They deal with goblins all the time.”

“Well, that would probably be smarter in our situation,” Íþró said. “There are a lot of children in this town that do not need to get hurt.”

“But where is the fun in that?” Glanni whined, earning stern looks from the elves and a very threatening glare from Robbie. “Alright, you have a point. Well, when it comes to catching goblins…I am the best.”

The four of them began formulating a plan, one that involved every outcome they could think of. It took the rest of the evening and that entire night, and Robbie was glad he had taken a nap. By the time morning came they were all exhausted, but were determined to finish this before it got worse.

Robbie would be in charge of the children; he specifically asked for that job. A part of him wanted to harm the goblin himself, but that was not part of their plan…and the children’s safety came first. Stephanie would also be let in on what was going on, at least a little bit, since she was older and smart. She would help keep everyone together.

Glanni was the one who would set up the traps and everything himself, since he knew what he was doing. He also had fae magic at his side, and would use it to lure the goblin.

Íþró and Sportacus were in charge of chasing the goblin if it tried to run, fight it if necessary, and keeping an eye out for anything should it go wrong.

Robbie had gathered up all of the kids, claiming that they were going to all have some fun making Christmas cards and other sorts of inside activities. As much as they loved playing outside, Robbie was pleased when he discovered that they all liked inside activities just as much. Honestly, in all of the madness going on, he’d nearly forgotten it was a couple of weeks until Christmas. Maybe doing some more snowflake cutting would keep his mind off of what was going on outside.

All of the kids gathered in the mayor’s house, and Sportacus walked up to Robbie as the fae shut the door closed. They stood outside, staring at each other for a moment.

“I’ll catch it, I swear,” Sportacus said softly, so that no one else would hear it.

“I know,” Robbie answered, reaching down to squeeze Sportacus’ mitten-covered hand with a weak smile.

Sportacus looked down at their hands, and then looked back up, “If…we succeed today, Íþró and I will leave immediately. So…I might be gone for a few days.”

Robbie swallowed, “I know.”

Sportacus inched closer, “And I mean, the council of elves are old and stubborn. They always have to belittle everything, and…I might need some good luck to make it through such a traumatic ordeal.”

Robbie’s eyes crinkled at the corners as he began giggling, covering his mouth with his other hand, “Is that so?”

Sportacus nodded, squeezing Robbie’s hand. There was a mischievous glint in Sportacus’ eye; one that Robbie only saw when he was in disguise. Robbie raised an eyebrow.

“Well, what if…it doesn’t work? And you have to do it tomorrow?” Robbie questioned.

Sportacus hummed, “Maybe…I need good luck every morning before trying.”

The human side of Robbie was freaking out. It was dancing up and down with giddiness, but also blushing terribly and stuttering at Sportacus’ forwardness. The fae side, however…loved it.

Robbie grinned, trying to keep his giggles at bay, and closed the space between them. 

“Would you like a human good luck charm, or a fae good luck charm?” Robbie asked, finding it a perfectly reasonable question.

Sportacus tilted his head, “…Can I be greedy?”

Robbie shrugged, “It’s the holidays, so I guess.”

Sportacus nodded, wondering what Robbie would do. To answer his question, Robbie began to lean down.

“Here is a human good luck charm,” he whispered, before pressing his lips to the elf’s.

The kiss was soft, completely unlike the ones they had shared the night before. Their hearts were beating quickly, but not from panic. Whereas the kisses from before felt overwhelming, while still not being enough, this one made them feel complete. It was right, and they came to realize that this was where the two of them belonged. They belonged together, as a pair.

Pulling away slightly, Robbie rubbed his nose back and forth with Sportacus’, making the elf’s eyes shoot open as Robbie began giggling. Then, Robbie reached up and poked his nose with a _boop_ and kissed his cheek.

“And that, was a fae good luck charm,” Robbie said. “You should be good to go now.”

Sportacus smiled widely, getting a wicked idea. Before he could stop himself he tickled Robbie’s stomach, making the fae lurch forward with a loud laugh. Robbie looked at Sportacus with a half-hearted glare, covering his stomach protectively.

“What was that for?!” he demanded.

“That was an elf good luck charm!” Sportacus rocked on his feet happily. “Just as Íþró if you don’t believe me!”

Robbie rolled his eyes, turning around to go inside. He stopped, turned back around to hug Sportacus quickly, whispering for him to be careful. Then he went inside to entertain the children.

With love in his heart, and his protective instincts in overdrive, Sportacus turned around to head back to his brother. He had always protected this town since it was his home, which included Robbie. But now Robbie really did mean something to him, more than he’d realized before, and he was not going to let anything happen to him. Not anymore.

Íþró turned to him as Sportacus walked up, and the elf’s happy mood fell a bit.

“Are you ready?” Íþró asked solemnly.

Sportacus nodded, “Já. Let’s catch a goblin.”


	14. Chapter 14

Robbie really had not appreciated Stephanie’s help quite as much as he did then. She knew what the four adults were up to, even though she did not know the details. She helped Robbie keep the other children inside of the house. Of course, they could not actually leave if they wanted to, since Robbie had put up a ward from the inside. The only one who could go in or out was him. However, they did not need to know that, otherwise they might tell their parents.

It sounded really creepy when he thought of it like that.

Ziggy, now adorning stitches across his forehead, sat in Robbie’s lap like he had a few weeks before. He was busy coloring in some paper, making a Christmas card for his mommy. Robbie offered suggestions to show he was paying attention, but they were promptly ignored. Stephanie was arguing (politely) with Trixie that pink was not _just_ a girl color, and that using it would not make the trickster any less of a tomboy. Pixel was doing…math. _For fun._ Stingy was decorating a card, for himself, while practicing his poker face to show off to Glanni later.

Ziggy turned around and held up the paper, “Look!”

Robbie smiled, “It’s very nice, I like the colors.”

“It’s not finished yet!” Ziggy exclaimed, turning back around to continue with a smile.

Robbie tried to remain calm, but his anxiety level was high. His brother and his…unofficial boyfriend were both out there, in danger, and he was inside safe and sound. He did not like it, not one bit. Sure, he was skittish, and would much _rather_ be safe inside, but he was _not_ a coward. And yeah, maybe he was afraid of heights, but he would climb the highest mountain if it kept his loved ones safe. Ziggy, Stephanie, Stingy, Trixie, Pixel, Glanni, Sportacus…

It was strange, thinking of Sportacus as someone dear to him.

He had not planned for this to happen; avoiding it, actually. A few weeks ago he had been hissing at Sportacus to leave, and now look at him. A part of him was a bit annoyed at how easily he had let his heart become consumed by the elf’s fiery allure, while a different part was shivering in anticipation at what the future would hold. 

He only hoped that Sportacus felt the same way.

Robbie swallowed, glancing out the window. He couldn’t see anything, and that was part of the ward. It kept everyone from seeing what was going on outside. There were also glamours, expertly placed by Glanni, to make things seem as they always did. No one in Lazy Town, other than the four magical residents and their prey, would know any of this had occurred.

“Hey Robbie, are you gonna come to my house for Christmas this year?” Ziggy asked excitedly. 

Robbie smiled at him and shrugged, “I don’t know, I might.”

Ziggy turned sideways to cuddle up against Robbie’s stomach, “Pleeeeease?”

“Ziggy, what if you get invited to someone else’s house?” Robbie poked his nose, making the boy cover it. “Or what if your mom wants to go somewhere?”

“You can come with us!” Ziggy said happily.

“We’ll see,” Robbie said, stroking the boy’s blonde hair. “I might be persuaded with some of your mom’s chocolate cake."

The day continued like that for a while, and as the afternoon began to show, Robbie worried about what was going on outside. He was keeping his ears open for Glanni’s signature knock, but he did not hear it. He knew it was silly to worry like he was, but he couldn’t help it. Besides, with all the wards he still had up over town, he would _know_ if something had happened…even if he couldn’t see it. 

Robbie was a bit relieved at the lack of activity outside, but a bit disappointed that they would have to do this again tomorrow.

“Robbie,” Stephanie got up to whisper in his ear. “When will we know when they are done?”

“Glanni will knock,” Robbie kept his voice steady. “We have to be patient.”

Stephanie nodded with a frown, going back to sit by Trixie. The day continued well into the evening sunset. As the clock over the fireplace ticked towards the number six, a steady rapping of manicured fingernails sounded against the door. Robbie walked to the door and answered to reveal Glanni, standing there with a deep frown on his face.

“Nothing,” he muttered. “Íþró and Sportacus are busy undoing the traps so no one gets caught in them overnight, but I’m thinking about leaving a few up just in case. The one you made with the bear trap was rather clever.”

Robbie nodded, fidgeting nervously, “Are you sure you didn’t miss something?”

Glanni nodded his head, frustration evident, “I really hate goblins…they are too sneaky for my taste- Ah, Stingy! How is that poker face coming along?”

Robbie looked down to see Stingy poking his head from behind Robbie’s legs, and the boy puffed his chest up and grinned, “I have been practicing!”

Glanni pat his head approvingly, practically purring with pride, “Good boy!”

Ziggy walked in front of Robbie and motioned to be picked up, and Robbie complied with a smile, giving him a small kiss on the cheek. Trixie walked past Robbie and looked around.

“Is it time to go home?” she asked, to which Robbie nodded.

“Yes, but let Glanni walk you and Stingy,” Robbie said. 

“Aw, come on!” Trixie complained. “I’m practically a _teenager!”_

Well, she was ten…but Robbie wasn’t in the mood to argue.

“Shush!” Glanni scolded. “It is impolite to talk back to an adult, especially when they just want you to be safe.”

Trixie crossed her arms, and Stephanie pat her on the shoulder comfortingly.

“Besides, we wouldn’t want to Lazy Town ghost to catch you,” Glanni added, much to Robbie’s chagrin.

Trixie’s eyes widened briefly before narrowing in suspicion, “Ha! I don’t believe in ghosts!”

Glanni raised an eyebrow, leaning back on his heels and glancing out towards the town, “I wouldn’t say that where it can hear you.”

Trixie and Stingy shuddered, while Stephanie giggled and Ziggy clutched at Robbie’s sweater tightly.

“I-is there really a ghost?” Ziggy whispered, shaking with widened eyes.

Robbie shook his head with a soft smile, “I don’t think so. Besides, even if there was…ghosts don’t like kids who eat candy.”

Ziggy’s eyes nearly popped out of his skull as a toothy grin stretched across his face, “REALLY?!”

Glanni snorted, glancing back at where Robbie assumed Íþró and Sportacus were. The glamour was still all over town and only Glanni and the two elves could see through it, so Robbie couldn’t be quite sure. However, Glanni always had a strange expression on his face when he was with Íþró. It was a mixture between what Robbie could only assume was annoyance, confusion, and lust.

Maybe his brother was having the same trouble he was accepting the idea of being with an elf.

Glanni turned back, smiling in that charming way of his, “Well…I guess I’ll be off then!”

Robbie was about to protest when Trixie ran out and grabbed Glanni’s sleeve, “WAIT!”

Stingy was not far behind her, now standing near Glanni as well. Trixie let go of the sleeve, her face flushed, and she looked around nervously.

“R-Robbie _did_ say you had to walk us home, a-and I wouldn’t want to make him mad,” she blurted out.

Robbie rolled his eyes and Stephanie giggled beside him, sharing a knowing look with Ziggy. Glanni smirked wickedly, obviously pleased that he could still manage to get the kids to do what he wanted. Robbie couldn’t say that it was his favorite feature that Glanni possessed, but it did have its uses. 

Honestly, Robbie was glad that Glanni was at least making an effort to tone down his…er…personality. He was great with kids when he wanted to be, it was just that he was always in the middle of some elaborate plan whenever he was around them (which would then result in those children forced into slave labor).

After a few sly comments, Glanni took Trixie and Stingy home, and Robbie got ready to take Pixel and Ziggy home. He bid Stephanie goodbye, promising that everything would be alright, and then left the mayor’s house. He only hoped his promise would not go unresolved. 

As the sun nearly finished its decent towards the earth, Robbie made his way back to where he assumed Sportacus was. He still could not see him, but there was a perk to being Glanni’s brother. He snapped his fingers, and the glamour fell from his eyes. Sportacus was a few yards away, looking at one of the many contraptions Robbie had built the night before. The elf’s gaze was clouded over, seeing yet unseeing. Robbie’s fingers brushed Sportacus’ elbow gently, and the elf blinked rapidly. 

“Hey Sport,” he said softly. “No luck?”

Sportacus turned to him with a sad smile, “No, I’m sorry.”

Robbie smiled back, “Tomorrow is a new day.”

Sportacus nodded, patting Robbie’s back softly. The elf looked very tired. Not as tired as Robbie, but still tired. It worried him.

Robbie turned at the sound of heels clacking against the pavement, and turned to see his brother strutting towards them with an annoyed expression. 

“Íþró needs you to help him move one of the nets, and I don’t want to break a nail.”

_Of course you don’t._

Sportacus nodded, “Alright, go on ahead, we will catch up.”

Glanni and Robbie nodded, watching the elf bound off in a sprint. 

“I never thought I’d say this,” Robbie said gently. “But I miss his flippity flopping.”

Glanni turned to Robbie with a smile, “Yeah, Íþró wasn’t looking too energetic either. I almost felt sorry for him, the idiot.”

Robbie smirked, “Are you back to denying that you actually care about him?”

“Shove off,” Glanni stuck out his tongue. “He is physically attractive, but his personality is revolting.”

Robbie couldn’t help but smile, glad that some things had not changed. It seemed that lately everything was spiraling out of his control, so the little bits of familiarity were greatly welcomed.

“We could feel a presence a few times, but nothing solid enough to work with. It was very stressful. And don’t worry, I made sure all the wards over the houses are up, so everyone will be safe tonight,” Glanni stated, checking his nails for any damage.

Robbie nodded, walking side by side with him on the way back to the lair. The trek there seemed even longer than usual, and by the time they got back they were exhausted. It took less than five seconds for the two fae to collapse on the couch. Robbie could not _wait_ to be able to get a good night’s sleep once they caught the goblin. A good ten minutes later the two elves arrived, not looking much better. 

Robbie tried to calm his nerve wracked heart when he felt Sportacus’ clothed thigh brush against his own as the elf sat down beside him. He had kissed the elf for heaven’s sake, practically molested the other, and yet here he was freaking out over something so small. Although he had accepted his growing love for Sportacus, he was still not quite ready for everything that would come along with it. The moment of desperate passion they had felt the night prior were just that; desperate. The moment that Robbie wasn’t having a panic attack he realized just how inexperienced, shy, and afraid he actually was.

Being half fae it was only natural for him to feel a bit wary, but this was a whole new level of cowardly and it sucked. 

Íþró headed towards the refrigerator to grab some cream, his adam’s apple bobbing as he guzzled it in a matter of seconds. Naturally, Glanni’s lip curled in disgust.

“Ibuprofen, sweetie, there are glasses in the cupboard,” Glanni muttered. 

Íþró turned to him and stuck out his tongue childishly, “I’m thirsty.”

Sportacus raised an eyebrow in what looked like confusion and concern. 

Elves all had a secret addiction to cream. It was a bit embarrassing, really. Even Sportacus had small cartons of cream in his own fridge, although he limited himself to how many he could have. His brother was stricter than him, saying that all of the dairy would turn into sugar and become unhealthy. This was also true. The more cream elves drank at once, the more oddly they behaved. Almost drunk. The fact that his brother was drinking a pint worth of cream straight from the carton was a bit unsettling. And odd.

“Well maybe you should drink some _fish oil_ then!” Glanni whined. “You are wasting all of the- Íþró come on! I put that in my coffee!”

Íþró drank it all until the last drop fell, and then tossed the carton behind him, missing the trashcan in the process. He then proceeded to continue on his quest for cream. Sportacus rolled his eyes. He had told Íþró to eat lunch, but his brother refused…insisting that the goblin was more important. Served him right. Althought, Sportacus could not really blame him. It seemed that his brother had been a bit more than unsettled by Robbie’s initial reaction to him, and despite his protests he did not want the fae to be afraid of him. 

Speaking of Robbie…

Sportacus felt the other go stiff beside him.

“What is it?” he asked softly, almost inaudible.

Glanni was yelling something about canned goods and Elvis, so it wasn’t exactly hard to be quiet.

Robbie swallowed thickly, “I…it’s probably nothing. I think everyone is just tired.”

Sportacus nodded, watching Robbie’s guarded expression. The other’s tired eyes had widened to their full expansion, and his fingers tapped rapidly against his knee. Sportacus reached out and grasped the fae’s hand in his, holding it still. His fingers gently rubbed circles and caressed the calloused palm of Robbie’s hand, surprised at how rough they were. 

Robbie’s breath hitched slightly, glancing down at his and Sportacus’ now intertwined fingers. The kind gesture only proved as a distraction for so long, however, and soon Robbie was left to stare at the a few feet away from him in fear.

Íþró had missed the trashcan.

It had to be a sign of exhaustion. That was the only explanation. And yet, Robbie could not quell the feeling of unease in his stomach. He had never witnessed an elf miss a target like that. Never. 

~*~

“I think Íþró is on his period or something.”

Robbie nearly inhaled his Lucky Charms before the made a hasty exit back into his bowl. Glaring at his brother in annoyance and disbelief, Robbie wiped his mouth clean.

“What are you on about now?”

“He drank at _least_ ten cartons of cream, all of the milk, and I am pretty damn sure I saw him licking the tube of toothpaste in the bathroom,” Glanni shuddered. “Don’t use the wintergreen one, by the way. It’s contaminated.”

Robbie glanced back to where Sportacus was doing some bedtime yoga where his TV usually was, and Íþró was sitting near him…not participating. 

“Then again we did keep him awake all night last night, so I’m sure he’s suffering some sort of sleep deprivation,” Glanni thought. “Still…”

Robbie did not know much about Íþró, so he could not really give a decent opinion on the matter. Besides, Sportacus was acting fine other than being sleepy, so perhaps it would all be fine come morning.

“But, I didn’t walk over here to complain about fish breath,” Glanni said, standing beside Robbie at the kitchen counter. “I came to talk about that spell-“

_”No.”_

“Just hear me out, okay?” Glanni said sternly. “I know you don’t want me to use an unauthorized spell, and honestly I don’t really want to try this one. I’m not an idiot.”

Robbie felt anger bubble in his veins, upset that his brother would even consider it at all.

“I just…it is a last resort,” Glanni said. “In case none of this works.”

“You can’t cast a spell that you can’t speak,” Robbie hissed. “It’s a botched spell and I will not have you dying to stop some piece of shit goblin!”

Glanni raised an eyebrow at the rough language, “So you would rather it wreak havoc across town, biting children and harming them permanently?

Robbie growled in warning, and Glanni quickly spoke.

“I’m giving the book to you.”

Robbie frowned, his eyes widening a fraction.

“Pardon?”

“I’m giving the book to you to keep safe, and if for some reason we need to use it you will be in charge of whether or not we do,” Glanni said simply. “I doubt it will come down to it, but just in case…”

Glanni held out the old spellbook for Robbie to take, and the younger stared at it with a dull hatred. He did not want to be in charge of it, but he also did not want his brother to be in charge of it. 

“Alright, I think it’s time we all got some shuteye,” Glanni yawned dramatically. “I call the bed, and no Íþró, you can’t join me. I’m sleepy.”

“I didn’t ask to.”

~*~

The orange fuzz of the chair tickled Robbie’s fingers as he rocked quietly. His blanket was draped over his lower body, keeping it warm, but it failed to provide him with the security he desperately needed. Glancing over he saw Sportacus lying on the couch, Íþró passed out on the floor (probably from a coma), and he could hear Glanni’s loud and obnoxious snoring coming from his bedroom. He had been staring at Íþró’s sleeping form for the last four hours, unable to tear his eyes away and let himself drift to sleep. 

The more he thought about what he thought was impossible, the more frightened he became. His imagination was beginning to get the better of him, it seemed.

Shivering at his own morbid thoughts, Robbie quietly snapped his fingers. In a puff of purple, glittery smoke, Sportacus’ form appeared in his lap. Blinking in confusion, Sportacus glanced up and yawned.

“Robbie?” he whispered. “What is it?”

Robbie didn’t answer, rocking silently. He didn’t know what he wanted, honestly. He only knew that he did not want to be alone.

Somehow able to understand, Sportacus tucked himself underneath the blanket Robbie had and cuddled up against his chest. Robbie’s arms slowly wrapped around the elf, relishing in the other’s warmth. Sportacus reached up a hand to brushed Robbie’s hair away from his eyes, his own closed from sleepiness. Robbie looked down and watched as the elf’s moustache twitched whenever he exhaled. 

_“Farðu að sofa, Robbie,”_ Sportacus breathed. _” Ég mun halda þér örugg í kvöld.”_

Silver eyes gazed down on the sleepy elf’s face, eyes shut tightly as he yawned again. Sturdy fingers gently traced patterns on the fae’s clothed chest, a soft hum escaping his lips. The vibrations were soothing and calmed the sea raging in Robbie’s heart. 

_“- bambaló, Bambaló og dillidillidó._   
_Vini mínum vagga ég í ró,_   
_En úti biður andlit á glugga.”_

Robbie’s head fell back against soft orange tufts, staring at the millions of metallic pieces that made up his ceiling. This soothing tenor of Sportacus’ voice wafted over him like a blanket, and yet his mind was filled with curiosity. Why hadn’t he ever heard Sportacus sing before? Up until the night before Robbie had always assumed that the elf couldn’t sing at all. Everyone else in town, including him, often hummed tunes alone or sang familiar songs in groups. Even Íþró supposedly sang Elvish tunes now and then. Robbie vaguely remembered Sportacus humming this the night before, during his anxiety attack, but now he could truly appreciate the elf’s talent.

_“Þegar fjöllin fimbulhá_   
_fylla brjóst þitt heitri þrá,_   
_Leika skal ég langspil á_   
_Það mun þinn hugan hugga.”_

Salty tears began to well up in Robbie’s eyes, and he quickly closed them before any could escape. He’d never heard this particular lullaby before, but his mother used to sing him one that was a bit similar when he was a child. Later, Glanni took on that role and sang him the same tune.

Elvish lullabies were always a bit sad. They should not have been as comforting as they were. This particular lullaby fit Robbie’s situation terrifyingly well, and it tugged on a string attached to his heart. 

_” Bíum bíum bambaló,_   
_Bambaló og dillidillidó_   
_Vini mínum vagga ég í ró_   
_En úti biður andlit á glugga.”_

Sportacus was warm, very warm, against Robbie. Elves were known for having higher temperatures than other beings, but Robbie had never expected it to be so pleasant. He’d always gone to bed cold, too tired to do anything about it. Robbie had also never expected Sportacus to be so…soft. The elf was nothing but moustache and muscle. However, instead of feeling something akin to hugging a plank of wood, the elf was very easy to cuddle with. Just firm enough for Robbie’s liking, but just soft enough to be comfortable. 

Robbie’s mind began drifting in and out of consciousness, not sure if the voice he heard was Sportacus or an angel from his dreams. 

_”Þegar veður geisa grimm,_   
_Grúfir yfir hríðin dimm,_   
_Kveiki ég á kertum fimm,_   
_Burt flæmi skammdegisskugga.”_

A vision of a dark haired woman with sparkling ivory skin and glittering violet wings hazily appeared in Robbie’s mind, a memory lost but never forgotten. She smiled down at him, her arms open for him to run into. He lost himself to his dreams as he made his way towards her, his heart tearing and warming at the sight of her.

_” Bíum bíum bambaló,_   
_Bambaló og dillidillidó_   
_Vini mínum vagga ég í ró…”_

Sportacus felt Robbie’s heartbeat fall steady beneath the palm of his hand, the rhythm lulling the elf to sleep himself. With a small smile, Sportacus nuzzled against the crook of Robbie’s neck and softly mumbled the last verse.

_“…En úti biður andlit á glugga.”_

The lair fell silent with the exception of Glanni’s snoring echoing throughout the chambers. What should have felt like a comforting atmosphere, with the embrace of two lovers in the middle of the night, instead felt thick and ominous. 

A shadow fell over the couple, and scarlet eyes peered down with great animosity. The crystal the elf kept was not in his chest plate, but rather hanging around his neck for the night. Without a second thought, the figure plucked the crystal off and pocketed it, refraining from digging his claws in the arms and face of the fae. 

A loud snore echoed through the room and the figure turned in the direction from which it came. Fangs elongated as the figure grinned, walking towards the source while licking his lips. A quiet clunking noise sounded as the figure’s foot hit an empty milk carton, about a foot from the trashcan it should have gone into. The figure prowled into the room that Glanni slept in, leaving the carton forgotten on the floor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! So, long time no see, eh? I've been very busy with life lately, and trying to get myself together. I also lost a lot of my motivation to write this when I found out about Stefan's cancer returning. I cling to the hope that he will be ok, because there still is that small chance, but for now I'm just enjoying seeing him live life to the fullest. 
> 
> I'd also like to take this time to quickly let you guys in on something, in case you didn't know it existed. There is currently a project to make Stefan a fan video to show him our appreciation, and to wish him the best. I'll leave the link to the page with all the info [HERE](http://frenchtoasties123.tumblr.com/post/162878360132/video-for-stef%C3%A1n-submission-guidelines)
> 
> ANYWAY. I also wanted to link the version of the lullaby Sportacus sings that I listened to for the entire duration of writing that scene (that was a last minute addition, honestly). I am a sucker for lullabies. [LULLABY](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxEbU6RmfII) It is an Icelandic lullaby and despite it being really depressing I love it. :D Apparently a lot of Icelandic moms sing these types of lullabies to their babies, instead of some super happy song like...well idk. My mom always sang depressing songs to me, so I can't relate. 
> 
> So yeah, I'm done rambling now. Sorry for the long wait! I'm not done, I promise, I'm just unmotivated. This lullaby though...idk if it's because I'm really sleepy or if I just love this song, but I am feeling something fierce right now. The feels are real.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi~ I have briefly returned with a slightly shit update. It isn't the best, but hopefully it will suffice. I just wanted to confirm that I have not abandoned the story. In fact, I actually have a bit of a reason for such a late update.
> 
> I had actually begun writing this chapter the day after posting the last one, and wrote the majority of it with no issue. Then I heard news that Stefan had cancer again and his life expectancy was shortened (which thankfully he had a successful surgery and is currently cancer free once again, at least form my knowledge). I am someone who tends to empathize with people extremely easily, which is both a blessing and a curse, and so that in addition to my already unstable emotional state, it sort of put me in a bit of a...strange state of mind. I began avoiding this story because I felt like it would be disrespectful to write about Lazy Town, even though it isn't. Robbie is a character, after all, not Stefan himself. It still felt strange, and I lost any sort of motivation that I'd previously had. 
> 
> Now, I'm started to get it again, hopefully, and I'll try to update sooner in the future! Thank you all for your patience, and please bear with me! Don't forget to pray for Stefan and his family as well! <3

_”Hey, guys! Check this move out!”_

_Robbie flinched, his ears unaccustomed to the shrill voice of the young trickster. He couldn’t believe his own eyes, honestly. Five children were all playing games and making a racket in the middle of town, their boisterous voices bouncing off into all corners of the area. This was unheard of! It was called Lazy Town for a reason! The four children that he’d been watching grow were always inside, playing video games and eating candy like good kids should, and yet now that this aggravatingly-pink city girl comes along they suddenly decide to follow her example like little ducklings? They were supposed to stay inside._

_Where they were safe._

_Robbie ducked once he knew that the soccer ball the trickster had was going to head in his direction. It sailed over the gate he was crouching behind, and he caught the ball with ease. He was not a very athletic man, but he could catch a damn ball. Usually._

_Holding the ball above his head dramatically, he stood, glaring at all of the children (specifically this new kid). He bit his lower lip to keep himself from growling, upset by how close this girl was to the four other children. Logically, he knew that she probably wasn’t a threat, but he could not help but be unsettled. Especially if she planned to endanger everyone’s lives by having them wreak havoc outside._

_The children all gasped and Robbie almost wanted to smile at Ziggy’s “Uh oh…it’s Robbie Rotten”. The little boy he’d come to love did not fear him, but he knew the look of an annoyed adult and could not help but feel a bit nervous. Robbie felt a little bad, but if his stern expression to help persuade them all to go inside then so be it._

_“Who’s that?” the very annoying, pink girl asked._

_“Oh, just the laziest, grumpiest, no-do-anything-est guy in ALL of Lazy Town!” Trixie replied simply._

_Robbie felt a bit proud that she’d been paying attention. He was not actually that lazy, in reality, but he had to keep up appearances to make show an example of what they should all be doing. Maybe he could convince that other girl to do the same._

_“Why thank you!” Robbie smiled dazzlingly. “Took years of practicing!”_

_The irritating pink girl did not seem convinced._

_“So,” Robbie took a couple of steps, returning to his annoyed expression. “What is this?”_

_Ziggy swallowed nervously, and the others looked at their shoes._

_“A ball!” the pink girl replied in an annoying tone. “We were playing!”_

_Robbie wanted to pick her up and throw her out more than anything in the world. The other children agreed, a little confused themselves. Robbie did feel a bit bad, but there were thousands of other ways to play games that did not involve outside! He did it all the time, and he was just fine! They could play with cards, they could play board games, make cards or snowflakes, sing songs, have sleep overs…the possibilities were endless!_

_“Playing?!” Robbie shouted in a moment of anger._

_The kids all agreed once more, and Robbie decided to take matters into his own hands immediately. Sneakily conjuring up bouquet of lollipops from behind his back, Robbie pulled a stunt that he knew without a doubt would work. Holding the candies out he grinned widely, eyes focused on Ziggy, who immediately perked up at the attention._

_“Want this?” he questioned._

_The kids gasped in awe, and Ziggy began to tremble with excitement._

_“Yesyesyesyesyes-!”_

_“If I give to you,” Robbie held the candies back. “Will you go away?”_

_“I’M ALREADY GONE!” Ziggy was still shaking with widened eyes staring intently at the candy._

_Robbie tossed the candy into the boy’s hands with a triumphant laugh, and Ziggy ran off to give himself a stomachache. Sometimes Ziggy’s addiction to candy gave Robbie a leverage that he did not have over the other children quite as much, especially now that they were older. He was glad that it was so easy to convince him to do what he wanted._

_Robbie wiggled his hands goodbye as Ziggy beamed at him (he was so cute), and he turned back to the kids, “And looky what else I have!”_

_He conjured up a game, one that he was going to send Pixel for Christmas (but oh well). Pixel nearly fainted in excitement, and Robbie knew his plan would work. He did pay attention._

_“A new video game!” he announced loudly. “I hear it’s got five thousand levels!”_

_“No, six thousand!” Pixel was nearly weeping at this point. “Plus bonus levels!”_

_He tossed the game to the boy and in a matter of seconds he was on his way home._

_“Oh by the way, that was yours,” Robbie added towards Stingy as Pixel practically ran home._

_Stingy gasped, running after Pixel with a cry of “WAIT! COME BACK! THAT’S MINE!”. Robbie turned over the ball in his hands as he thought of a way to get rid of Trixie. She was always the hardest to manipulate. He admired her cleverness, but found it extremely annoying at times. She was always getting into trouble, and he was worried something might happen if he wasn’t there to keep an eye on her. Her parents never did, after all, since they were never home. The poor girl just wanted attention, but was too proud to admit it._

_Sort of like him…_

_Glancing down at the ball, he decided to fight fire with fire._

_“Have you ever heard the sound of a rubber ball breaking a window?” he asked the trickster with a gleam in his eyes._

_“Uh-uh,” she shook her head curiously._

_“Would you like to?” he suggested excitedly._

_She grinned and rapidly nodded, “Yeah yeah yeah!”_

_He tossed the ball to her, leaving her to wreak her own havoc over the town. It would be easier to keep an eye on her rather than all of the children at once. The pink girl did not look pleased, but he couldn’t care less how she felt. It was her fault his kids were out getting themselves in danger as it was._

_“Hey!” she cried out, upset._

_Robbie put his hands on his hips proudly, “You didn’t stand a chance.”_

_Well, he didn’t mean to say that out loud, but the look on the girl’s face was worth it._

_“Now, why don’t you sit quietly and do nothing like a good little girl,” Robbie nearly growled out, trying to keep himself from losing his temper._

_Before he did something stupid, he turned around and walked off. He did not want to harm the girl, he just wanted her to leave. She was still a child, after all. Turning around he waved goodbye mockingly, and seemingly disappeared from sight._

_As the day continued on, Robbie watched as the girl moped all the way back to her home, and he felt himself sigh in relief. He decided to go make sure Trixie wasn’t doing anything too stupid, especially since he gave her a soccer ball. Really…what had he been thinking? He was pleased to find out that she had only broken two windows since his suggestion, and that Miss Busybody had already dealt with the situation by threatening to call her mother. Usually, this was when Robbie would go home or make a trip to the supermarket. However, he felt that his anxiety from the threat of a town stranger did not go away, and he could not bring himself to go home._

_Instead, Robbie walked around town, keeping an eye out for any suspicious activity. He had been making his rounds for well over half an hour when he saw her._

_The aggravatingly pink girl._

__Trying to get a mail tube into the mailbox chute._ _

_“No!” Robbie hissed, fear racing through him like white-hot liquid. “Don’t do it little girl!”_

_He couldn’t think, he couldn’t breathe…time seemed to stop around him._

_“It will only cause trouble,” he thought out loud, his fingers tingling with unspoken magic._

_The girl succeeded in prying the cork he’d shoved into the chute free, and Robbie’s hands flew out in front of him. He attempted to conjure up a confusion spell, or a levitation spell, or _anything_ really, and yet…nothing worked._

_Why didn’t it work?! He _knew_ there had to be something strange about this girl! His magic was practically useless!_

_“No! Leave it alone! Don’t do it!” he got out, hoping his magic would reach her._

_Robbie watched as the girl put the mail into the chute, and Robbie nearly collapsed in fear._

_“Not in there! Don’t pull that!” his voice broke, trying to keep his control in check. “No, no, no!”_

_The girl pulled the lever and the mail was ejected up towards the sky, breaking the barrier he’d placed over the entire town. Robbie felt the blood in his face drain, his hands beginning to shake, his toes curling in his shoes._

__No!_ _

_Robbie’s hands clenched, his knuckles white, and he growled at the girl with an anger he’d never felt towards a child. He would not hurt her since she did not know what she had done, but that did not mean he wouldn’t make her time spent in Lazy Town a living nightmare. There was something strange about this girl! She could break barriers, he couldn’t use magic against her…something was off._

_After a few minutes of nothing, the girl sighed, “I guess no one’s coming…”_

_“Maybe it won’t work,” Robbie suggested to himself, wanting to shove a bag over the girl’s head to hide at least some of that pink._

_He used to like pink…it reminded him of his brother. Now, he wasn’t so sure._

_“Maybe, he’s on a vacation!” Robbie continued, wanting to convince himself that no one would answer._

_He knew better than that._

_“Maybe he’s quit all the superhero business!”_

_At this point, Robbie was only kidding himself. He knew one of two things would now happen. Either a sports elf would show up, show the kids how to do stupid stuff like play outside and get themselves hurt, OR…_

_He didn’t want to dwell on that._

_It was in that moment the girl got a paper airplane, and Robbie felt himself grow cold at the sight of blue paper. He’d never seen anyone answer with blue paper before…it was always orange._

_“Help is on the way!” the girl read excitedly._

_God damn it._

_A blue blimp made itself known in the sky, and Robbie knew he was doomed. There was no way he could conjure another barrier in time, and even if he could the girl would probably find a way to best him. Although, Robbie had never seen a blimp come towards the town before…it was always an air balloon._

_Robbie watched as the blimp hovered over the town and a figure practically flew out of it, landing on the fence of the area the girl was in. He was wearing nothing but blue, which was strange, but he had that damn moustache that Robbie had grown to hate…only thinner. Ha! He couldn’t even grow it out completely!_

_“Are you Number Nine?” the girl asked him excitedly._

_What Robbie expected to see was definitely not blood red eyes staring hungrily down at the girl, licking his lips and grinning fangs down at her. All of the dislike he’d held for the girl turned into concern and panic, and he felt himself practically jump over the wall to get to her in time. The figure grabbed the girl by the neck, and she choked._

_Robbie felt his knees give out from beneath him when he saw the girl’s eyes roll back as she breathed her last breath._

__Stephanie._ _

_Her name was Stephanie._

_He remembered now._

_The figure turned towards Robbie with a feral grin, tossing the girl away with a thud, and Robbie couldn’t breathe._

_“Yes,” the figure replied to the dead girl’s previous question. “I am.”_

~*~

Robbie nearly flung himself out of his orange chair, throwing Sportacus onto the ground. Sweat soaked his entire body and he was suffocating. Everything was a blur and way too hot for his liking, and he felt himself tear his nightshirt open to help himself breathe. 

“Robbie?” Sportacus asked from the ground, looking up and gasping. “Robbie!”

Robbie fell forward onto the ground, clawing at the floor as he hyperventilated. His mind was overcome with pink and red, the sound of her choking… The smell of copper filled his nostrils and the sound of cackling laughter reached his ears, his thoughts unable to see reality the way it was. He did feel Sportacus’ hands on his waist, pulling him back to lean against the other male. 

It was too hot.

Robbie tried pulling away, still unable to breathe. He knew his skin was turning purple at this point, and he needed to do something. Sportacus’ grip was unrelenting as he pulled Robbie close, rubbing soothing circles on his neck and shoulder.

“Robbie, follow my breathing,” Sportacus said gently. “In and out. Ready?”

Robbie tried to follow Sportacus, and slowly he felt his breathing even out. He took deep, shuddering breaths, his lungs filling with the oxygen they desperately needed. He laid against Sportacus, a tear escaping his eye as he dwelled on his dream.

“Robbie, what happened?” Sportacus asked, rubbing his eyes with a small yawn. “It’s still a little early… Are you okay?”

Robbie shivered, rubbing a hand over his bare chest to feel his heart beat erratically, “I…b-bad dream.”

Sportacus looked at the other in concern, “Do you want to talk about it?”

Robbie shook his head, eyes closing as he tried to think of _anything_ else. Sportacus stroked Robbie’s unkempt and sweaty hair, and the fae felt the other’s soft lips press against the clammy skin of his forehead. Robbie surveyed the room absentmindedly, noticing the pile of blankets strewn in a spot on the floor where Íþró should have been. His mind immediately thought of the worst after the dream he’d had, and he couldn’t help the way his soul seemed to tremble. 

“Sportacus, where is Íþró?” Robbie asked, eyes wide in fear.

Sportacus turned and frowned, “I…I don’t know. He should be there.”

Robbie frowned, “What do you mean?”

“I mean that it’s too early for us to wake up,” Sportacus muttered. “It’s about seven-thirty.”

Robbie sat up abruptly, his hands clenched tightly. He stood on shaky legs, listening and watching for anything strange. He felt Sportacus stand behind him, a bit confused.

“Robbie, I’m sure it’s nothing. Maybe his crystal went off-“

“Shh!”

Sportacus frowned, looking around the room himself. He watched as Robbie seemed to collapse on himself, his senses all on high alert. His fingers were at his sides, twitching nervously, and his eyes were extremely wide with dark circles beneath them. His skin was a few shades paler than usual, and he was trembling so badly Sportacus thought he might fall over.

The room itself was the same as it always was; cold. Nothing was out of place, and nothing was out of the ordinary from what anyone could tell. Sportacus could only assume that Robbie’s panic was because of whatever nightmare he’d had. 

“Robbie, maybe you should sit down,” Sportacus offered softly. “I’ll make some tea-“

“SHH!” Robbie hissed at him.

Sportacus sighed, but complied. They stood there in silence for a long moment, and Sportacus felt as if he could slice the air with a knife. The room felt…heavy.

“Something isn’t right,” Robbie whispered, swallowing.

Now that he mentioned it…something did feel off. Sportacus couldn’t quite put his finger on it. Everything seemed a bit too _calm_ for his liking, and it felt wrong. 

Robbie felt his nerves nearly burst with anxiousness. It was so quiet…usually there were kids running around outside to make noise, and now that they weren’t it was unsettling. How he’d managed to fall asleep to begin with was beyond him-

Horror surged through Robbie’s veins, and his feet were already running towards the bedroom before he could tell them to. _No…no!_

The sight of the empty bed, blankets and sheets thrown all over the room, had Robbie steadying himself with a hand on the doorway. The room smelled of stale cologne and nail polish, the sheets on the bed cold. 

“Robbie!” Sportacus exclaimed as he caught up to Robbie. “What is it-“

 _”Glanni is gone!”_ Robbie’s voice broke as his knees finally gave out.

Sportacus’ eyes widened as he looked around the room. Robbie barely noticed the other scouring every inch of the room at a rapid speed before running past him to check the rest of the lair. Instead, he tried to gather his bearings and not have another panic attack. His heart felt like it was going to rip in half, and his eyes burned with tears. With a deep and shuddering breath, Robbie managed to inch his way into a standing position.

He couldn’t rely on Sportacus for everything.

His feet staggered across on the cold floor, his hand clutching his chest as he tried to breathe normally. He saw Sportacus standing over the spot his brother had slept in, and managed to walk over to the elf without fainting. Sportacus turned to him with a lost expression, his ears almost drooping.

“Robbie, did you notice Íþró acting strangely?” Sportacus asked lowly. 

Robbie swallowed, shaking violently, “Yes.”

Sportacus’ eyes widened briefly before narrowing, “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“I…I wasn’t sure if it was just my imagination!” Robbie admitted. “But…he was drinking so much cream, and h-he…he…”

“He _what,_ Robbie?” Sportacus demanded.

With a shaking hand, Robbie pointed to the trash can, “He m-missed.”

Sportacus looked over, confusion written on his face until he saw the cream carton. Slowly, Sportacus’ eyes widened once more, and his hands tightened into fists.

“He…” Sportacus’ eyes flashed with anger. “That monster did something with my brother!”

Robbie lowered his head, fighting back tears. He refused to just sit out and cry. He needed to do something.

Lifting his head back up, Robbie snapped his fingers. In a puff of smoke, the two of them were clothed in appropriate attire for the day, and Robbie walked over to grab the spell book Glanni had given him. He conjured an apple for Sportacus, who reluctantly accepted, and Robbie took his arm.

“Where are we going?” Sportacus asked as Robbie got ready to transport them.

“We are going to make rounds,” Robbie stated. “Make sure everyone else is okay, and hopefully get an idea where that piece of garbage took our siblings.”

Sportacus nodded, munching on the apple in frustration. 

~*~

“Well, at least everyone else is safe,” Sportacus sighed as he and Robbie sat down on a bench in the park.

Robbie grit his teeth. His fear of the goblin was slowly turning into something closer to anger, especially now that he had his brother.

“They can’t have gone far,” Robbie muttered. “Goblins can’t transport.”

“No, they have to travel like humans,” Sportacus echoed.

The two of them sat there for a moment, thinking of all of their options. Robbie noticed the stiff way Sportacus was sitting, and the way his jaw was clenched. And given the lack of conversation the elf had given any of the children, Robbie could only assume that his fangs were elongated from sensing a constant threat. 

Carefully, Robbie interlaced their hands together, “We’ll find them.”

“I know.”

A long moment passed as Robbie ran his thumb over Sportacus’ hand. Looking up at the elf’s airship, Robbie wondered if there would ever be a time that he could go up there and not have a panic attack from being so high. It would be nice to see the view from up there again; relive his old life before everything happened. Maybe he could even go to Sportacus’ home once or twice, just to see what it was like to be an elf. It would probably take a few weeks though-

Robbie inhaled sharply, his eyes widening as they focused onto the ship.

“They’re up there!” Robbie hissed. “Either in the ship or in the balloon! He’s planning on taking them away just like he did with me!”

Sportacus started, latching onto Robbie’s arm, “Take us up there!”

“I can’t, there is a barrier around your ship, remember?” Robbie pursed his lip.

Sportacus turned to him, “It will let you in. I promise.”

Robbie swallowed and nodded, closing his eyes to focus on their destination. In a puff of purple smoke, the two appeared inside Sportacus’ ship. The lights were off, which was strange, and there was a strange smell of fish.

 _”Well,”_ a voice sneered. “Hello Robin! Long time no see!”

Turning around, Robbie and Sportacus saw Number Nine grinning at them maliciously. However their brothers were nowhere to be seen. 

“Where is Íþró?” Sportacus demanded, his fangs bared as his pupils slit. 

God, Robbie forgot how terrifying elves could be.

“Who?” Number Nine teased. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Yes you do!” Sportacus stormed forward, grabbing Number Nine by the collar. “Where is he!”

Number Nine’s eyes glowed scarlet, his own fangs elongating, “He and that glittery pixie are where they should be!”

_”Where?!”_

Number Nine cackled to himself, apparently finding the situation more amusing than threatening. Glancing up, he caught Robbie’s gaze, and the fae had to fight to keep himself upright. He would never be able to get used to the other’s stare…

“They are in their graves.”

Robbie dropped his spellbook.

The next few moments were hard for Robbie to remember.

He remembered sounds of screeching, most of them from Sportacus’ own mouth. There was blood, but he wasn’t sure whose. He’d never heard any creature snarl and growl, ripping away flesh with only fangs and claws, quite as much as Sportacus did that day. Robbie had to rip his gaze away from the sight. It was hard for him to see the elf in such a state, and he was having trouble controlling his own emotions.

Rather than feeling immense anger like Sportacus, he felt nothing but sorrow. His heart had spilt into pieces, bleeding out until there was nothing left. He collapsed to his knees, grabbing Glanni’s spellbook and hugging it to himself tightly. If he focused hard enough, he could still smell Glanni’s cologne on it. 

Glancing back over to Sportacus, he saw the elf bite a chunk of flesh out of Number Nine’s arm. The goblin retaliated by slashing his claws over the tip of Sportacus’ ear. The elf winced as immense pain overcame him, but continued to fight nonetheless. 

This continued for a few minutes before Sportacus managed to shove his hand into the other’s chest, reaching in to pull out the other’s heart. Instead he pulled out handfuls of…stuffing? 

It was a decoy.

Sportacus’ cry came out as a shrill noise, trilling along the edges of the ship in a way that had Robbie cowering. He was not afraid of Sportacus, but the cry irked something in him that was highly unpleasant. He watched with emotionless eyes as Sportacus ripped the dummy apart, stuffing flying in all directions.

“Sportacus,” Robbie’s voice broke as he called. 

Sportacus turned to Robbie, his eyes slit in fury.

“Stop,” Robbie mumbled. “We…we need to find Glanni and Íþró.”

 _”He said they were dead!”_ Sportacus’ voice came out in a hiss, inhuman and nearly impossible to understand.

“No, he said they were in their graves,” Robbie corrected, earning a displeased look. “He was toying with us.”

Sportacus hissed, his fangs bared and his claws twitching. Robbie stood, slowly walking towards the other. Sportacus turned to him with a growl of warning, and Robbie responded with his own. He didn’t have time for Sportacus’ bullshit. Not now. Not right after learning of the possibility that his brother is dead.

Carefully, Robbie took Sportacus’ hand in his. He was trembling from Sportacus’ gaze, but more because of everything that had happened. Despite his best attempts, he was beginning to crumble from the weight of his emotions and thoughts.

Sensing his distress and having a brief snap back to reality, Sportacus pulled Robbie close into a tight hug. He buried his face into the crook of Robbie’s neck, calming himself down. Robbie turned to kiss the elf’s temple gently, frowning at the sight of his ear bleeding.

“Your ear,” Robbie whispered.

“It’s fine,” Sportacus mumbled against Robbie’s skin. “It’ll heal.”

“It must hurt a lot,” Robbie gazed at it in pity. 

“I’ve had worse,” Sportacus replied bluntly, pulling away. 

His eyes had returned to normal, other than the strange look of unhappiness within them. His fangs were a bit more pointed than usual, but at least his claws had retracted. It was unsettling to see the elf this way, and all Robbie wanted was for the normal Sportacus to come back. 

“I wish I could cast a location spell,” Robbie sighed. “But the only ones I know involve a physical object to be used as a vessel-“

Robbie froze, his eyes widening.

“Sportacus, go grab something from Íþró’s ship!” he exclaimed. “Something he would handle often!”

Sportacus nodded with wide eyes, running out of his ship and over to his brother’s. After a few seconds the elf returned with a spyglass in his hand. Robbie lifted his hand over the object, murmuring a few verses of the simple location spell. After repeated it several times the spyglass began to emit an orange glow, lifted from Sportacus’ hands to begin its journey back to its owner.

Before Robbie could say anything, Sportacus lifted the fae into his arms and began to follow it out of the airship. Robbie clutched to the elf and tried not to look down, which proved a bit difficult, and was more than happy once they reached the ground.

They followed the spyglass as it floated through the town, gaining speed as it got closer to Íþró’s location. Robbie began to feel nervous as they made their way into the woods. Sportacus was a bit nervous as well, especially after what happened the last time he’d been there. He knew it had been an accident, but he did not crave apples as much as he had before. 

The closer they got to their location, the more nervous the pair became. As the trees grew a bit more sparse, Robbie realized where they were headed.

“Oh no,” Robbie whispered. “Please…no!”

Sportacus inhaled sharply as he realized their location as well. He grabbed Robbie’s hand and pulled him forward, practically running after the spyglass at this point. 

The graveyard was fairly small, considering the population of the town had never been particularly high. The pair’s anxiety did not lessen as they began drawing nearer to newer tombstones.

“Íþró!” Sportacus exclaimed as the spyglass landed on a freshly dug mound of dirt.

The elf scrambled to dig the dirt away with his hands, and Robbie looked around for any sight of another mound. This one was too small to be housing his brother _and_ Íþró at the same time.

“Robbie!” Sportacus cried out, his voice cracking. “Help!”

Without a moment of hesitation, Robbie conjured some shovels and helped dig the dirt away. The sound of them hitting something hard brought them relief, and a few more seconds of digging had them peering down at the lid of a cheap, wooden coffin.

Sportacus would never admit that he hesitated, but he could not have been sure what he would find inside of the coffin.

Tearing open the cover with a force to be reckoned with, the pair uncovered Íþró’s limp body. Jumping on top of his brother, Sportacus felt and listened for a heartbeat. A shuddered breath escaped his lips when he realized his brother was still alive, and he spent a moment there with his forehead on his brother’s chest.

“Is…is he alright?” Robbie asked softly.

“Yes,” Sportacus breathed. “He’ll be ok. He’ll be just fine.”

Deciding to leave the other alone for a moment, Robbie glanced around once more for any other sign of his brother. He clutched the spellbook to his chest again, his fingers twitching and tapping over the spine. He wished he could use it to find Glanni, but the book was technically his since Glanni had given it to him, even if it was temporary. 

He sat down on his knees before his legs could give out, his lip trembling as he stared at the tombstones. He listened for any sign, any little thing that could hint at his brother’s whereabouts, but found no aid. A tear fell from his eye as he opened the spellbook absentmindedly.

He nearly doubled over when the page he’d opened to was the botched spell that Glanni had suggested they use as a last resort to get rid of Number Nine. 

Never.

Slamming the book shut in anger, Robbie stood and walked back over to Sportacus.

The elf had already lifted Íþró over his shoulders. Robbie did not know if he should feel concerned or flattered at the angered expression Sportacus had on his face. They were both well aware that Glanni was still in danger, and apparently Sportacus was not pleased even though his brother was ok.

“Come on,” Sportacus urged. “Let’s take Íþró to the lair, you can set up some new wards, and then we can try to figure something out.”

Robbie nodded, gathering his strength to transport the three of them back. It took effort, especially since he was so emotionally drained. Snapping his fingers, the three were back in the living room. Sportacus gently laid Íþró down where he was supposed to have been sleeping, checking him over for any other injuries, while Robbie cast wards around to keep the goblin from returning. He would not receive permission to return.

Robbie had not realized he’d been standing in the middle of the room with a blank expression until Sportacus walked up and hugged him tightly, his chin resting on Robbie’s shoulder.

“We’ll find him, I promise,” Sportacus whispered. “He’s pretty tough, I’m sure he will be okay.”

Robbie only nodded, his mind buzzing with ideas on how to find Glanni.

“He has to be somewhere that a fae can’t escape,” Robbie muttered. “That’s why he wasn’t in a coffin. He could easily snap his fingers and appear on land. Iron might keep that from happening, but a goblin can’t go near the stuff.”

Sportacus frowned as he kneaded the muscles in Robbie’s back, pressing a kiss to the other’s neck gently.

“I mean, there are other ways to trap a fae, but it could be in any possible location,” Robbie growled, his eyes watering. “And I’m scared because I don’t know just how far this asshole will go!”

Sportacus pulled away, his eyes flashing, “Too far.”

Robbie flopped down onto his recliner, heaving a shaky sigh as he raked his hands over his face. Sportacus simply sat down by his feet, tracing patterns into the other’s knee. Every so often he would check on Íþró, making sure he was still all right, and then return to his previous position.

Robbie rang every parent in the neighborhood, making sure all of the kids were all right. He suggested that they all stay inside because there was threat of a snowstorm, even though that was a lie. It was okay to lie, he decided, when it meant that lives could be saved. 

Later that evening, after many hours of ideas and failed attempts at finding his brother, Robbie found himself wide awake in his recliner. Sportacus had fallen asleep next to his brother, still uneasy after what had happened. It might have been amusing to the fae had it been under any other circumstances. 

Robbie stared down at the spell that he’d refused to let Glanni recite. His eyes attempted to translated the garbled mess that was supposed to be words, and he frowned at the seemingly failed attempt at a substantial pattern for them. It was like looking at a three year old’s excuse for notes. The small images crudely drawn on the sides were of little help, but Robbie began peering at them as he wondered what they meant. 

Leaning back, Robbie wondered what the goblin could have come up with to stop his brother. Keeping Robbie under his wing was a great deal easier since Robbie had never been experienced with his magic, and there was also the fact he was not completely fae. Glanni, however, was a completely different story. He was _well_ experienced. Their father had made sure of that.

Robbie’s eyes began to droop as he glanced over at the two elves. Íþró would without a doubt be furious when he woke up. His strange affection for Glanni was not hard to see, and although Robbie was not particularly fond of Sportacus’ brother, he was glad for the added protection that his brother would need. His brother was insane, after all.

Hoping for a miracle, Robbie fell into a restless sleep, still holding the spellbook.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just as a side note...Íþró himself is not the bad guy. Just making sure that is crystal clear, because I don't want anyone to misunderstand. :D Number Nine is simply posing as him. 
> 
> Also, yes, I actually watched an episode while writing the beginning. I just...idk. I love when stories can tie in with canon. :'D <3


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey-yo, I'm here with another chapter! It's a bit shorter than usual, but hey. I figured it ended on an interesting note...so....yeah. Meh. And thanks to everyone for the wonderful comments! They have seriously made my weekend! I live in Texas, so the stress of the hurricane has sort of put a damper on my mood (which was bad beforehand). I'm fine, btw, but worrying about my friends and family, along with seeing the news has been kind of stressful. So seeing everyone say such nice things has been a nice change of pace, so thank you! <3 You guys are awesome!

_Robbie prided himself in having entertaining dreams, if nothing else. They were always colorful, sometimes gave him great ideas for new schemes._

_That was why this dream was so unsettling._

_Robbie was not a lucid dreamer, but in this case he knew he was in the middle of one. The first thing he noticed was that the entire area was white. There were no walls or floors, but rather a never-ending void of blank nothingness._

_The next thing he noticed were the pair of glittering wings attached to his back. They felt so real, and Robbie’s eyes widened when he moved them around with a natural ease._

_“Your wings always were so much prettier than mine.”_

_He did not have to turn around to know who spoke._

_Glanni walked up to him with a pitying smile. The large fuchsia wings that he always had hidden were on full display, twitching and fluttering with every breath he took. He’d always wondered why Glanni hid them from view so often, but he’d never received a decent answer. If Robbie had to guess, it probably had something to do with their father…but he’d never been forward enough to ask._

_They didn’t talk about their father._

_“Where are we?” Robbie asked, startled at how airy and light his voice sounded._

_He almost sounded…happy._

_“We are communicating through our subconscious,” Glanni explained. “We have a blood link and that is the only reason we can talk. I am currently…unable to do much else.”_

_“Where are you?” Robbie asked, remembering the situation. “Are you alright?”_

_“I’m fine,” Glanni insisted. “I think I broke a nail, but that can be fixed.”_

_“Glanni, I’m serious,” Robbie reached out towards his brother._

_“I really am okay, at least at the moment,” Glanni took Robbie’s hand. “But the pink girl won’t be.”_

_Stephanie._

_“Why?” Robbie hissed. “Tell me everything.”_

_“He’s planning on switching her with a changeling,” Glanni frowned. “He figured out she wasn’t entirely human. He wants to use her to get to us, and then take her off to do who knows what. You need to find her and keep her safe.”_

_“I will,” Robbie nodded. “Where are you?”_

_“I can’t tell you exactly because I have no idea, but it isn’t in town,” Glanni tapped his chin. “But I’m fairly certain its in the elvish realm.”_

_Robbie’s eyes widened, swallowing. He was happy that he could remain calm since he was physically asleep, but that did not help his worry._

_“H-how-“_

_“Tunnels,” Glanni cut in. “There are tunnels built by the dwarves, and there is an entrance over in the hills where the trolls live. There are doorways with portals to different areas. I’ve actually used them before. They come in handy when you don’t know exactly where to go.”_

_Robbie rubbed his temples as he began to pace back and forth._

_“He’s hiding me in some sort of dungeon, masquerading as Íþró. They didn’t believe me when I told them what was going on because of my reputation,” Glanni sighed. “The wards around this place are a nightmare. Robbie…I-I can’t escape.”_

_Robbie had been fortunate enough growing up to know that if something ever got him into prison, his brother would be able to get him out with little to no trouble. Despite his strange antics, flamboyance, constant teasing, and overall infuriating nature, Glanni had more skill and cleverness than anyone else Robbie had ever met, including himself. He could easily manipulate others, and if left to his own devices he could probably take over entire towns with ease._

_But if there was one thing Glanni could do better than anything else, it was escape._

_The severity of the situation was beginning to sink in._

_“We’ll find you, I promise,” Robbie answered, swallowing._

_“I hope so,” Glanni smiled awkwardly. “Because Number Nine has convinced the entire Elven court that I should be punished for mass murder.”_

_“M-murder-“_

_“He’s manipulating them,” Glanni shuffled on his feet. “I had no idea Íþró had so much power here.”_

_Robbie shook his head, his wings fluttering behind him. He glanced back at the pair longingly, wishing they were more than just a dream. He wanted to be able to fly again. If he had wings he’d be able to do so much more than just sit around and let his brother and the elves save him from everything. As much as he loved being able to rely on Sportacus to help him, he didn’t like feeling so useless. He wasn’t a child anymore._

_He looked at his brother and stiffened at the sight of his wary smile. Glanni was good at hiding it, but Robbie could see the fear in the other’s eyes. It was the first time he saw his brother so scared in front of him, and he couldn’t handle the sight any longer._

_“Glanni, I promise we’ll find you,” Robbie said. “I promise.”_

_“I know you will,” Glanni sighed. “Just be sure to do it within the next day or two, because otherwise you’ll find me in a state I’d rather you not see me in.”_

_“What do you mean?”_

_Glanni’s body flickered a bit and he smiled sadly, “I’m sorry Robbie, I have to go. They must be waking me up.”_

_“Glanni!” Robbie cried out, his eyes widening as the other began to fade._

_“Just make sure Stephanie is safe, and be careful,” Glanni stated. “Oh, and one last thing.”_

_“Yes?”_

_“…Is Íþró okay?” Glanni worried his lip._

_“He’s fine, we found him,” Robbie answered. “Glanni please-“_

_“He’ll know where to go,” His vision began to swirl. “Tell him I’m being tried for murder.”_

_The dream faded, and Robbie felt himself being thrust into reality like cold water had been dumped on him._

~*~

The first thing Robbie noticed was that his leg was asleep.

The second thing he noticed were the angry voices arguing in what he assumed was his kitchen. He recognized them as Sportacus and Íþró’s, and he felt his eyebrows furrow when he realized they were arguing in elvish. The trills and hissing noises they made were both familiar and unfamiliar to Robbie. He knew what they were saying but he had not heard anyone speak in their tongue for such a long time, other than a few phrases here and there, that it was strange.

The third thing he’d noticed was the spell book in his lap, his hand resting in between pages like a bookmark. With a yawn he flipped it open and stretched, glancing down to see what page it was open to. 

_”I don’t know Sportacus!”_ Robbie heard Íþró say in his mother tongue. _“Are you just assuming that I want him gone?”_

Robbie stood, the book still open in his hands. 

_”I never said that, Íþró,”_ Sportacus replied in agitation. _”But you should have seen Robbie yesterday when we found him gone! What if something horrible has happened to him!”_

Robbie walked towards the kitchen, staring at the spell with a frown on his face. 

_”Robbie isn’t the only one who’s worried, Sportacus!”_ Íþró exclaimed, his teeth bared as full fangs were on display.

Sportacus simply stood there, unable to form a response. The siblings’ postures were stiff. Was this how elves always argued-too polite to actually do much more than growl? 

Deciding to ignore the fact that Íþró was worried about Glanni, Robbie cut through the awkward silence.

“Good morning,” he said, announcing his presence.

The two elves turned to him with wide eyes, watching him like fish. It was almost like they didn’t expect him to be there.

Sportacus was the first to snap out of his stupor, “Oh, good morning, Robbie. How did you sleep?”

“About that-“

“Really? Glanni is out there somewhere, possibly getting the shit beaten out of him as we speak, and you are asking his brother _how he slept?!”_ Íþró growled, his hands clenched. 

Sportacus’ eyes flashed, his fangs appearing from behind his lips, “He has lost his brother, Íþró!”

“Well I’ve lost my-“ Íþró cut himself off.

Growling, Íþró tugged at his hair harshly, trying to breath evenly. He grabbed a glass of water, downing the entire thing in one gulp. Sportacus crossed his arms, glaring at his brother. Robbie swallowed, a bit nervous of two angered elves. He didn’t want to end up in the middle of something dangerous.

Robbie carefully walked over to Sportacus and kissed him on the cheek, hoping to calm him down. It worked a little, as Sportacus glanced at him with a brief smile.

“I know where he is,” Robbie blurted out. 

Íþró’s head shot up with wide eyes, and Sportacus leaned back in confusion.

“I…he was in my dream,” Robbie frowned. “We have a link or something…according to him, anyway-“

“A blood bond,” Íþró confirmed, nodding slowly. “It’s rare with fae, but not unheard of.”

“He told me he was in an elvish prison, but he wasn’t sure where,” Robbie swallowed. “But he can’t escape.”

Íþró growled, “I think I know which one that would be. I’d threatened to take him there, once upon a time.”

“He…he also told me to tell you that he was on trial,” Robbie’s fingers and lip twitched.

The nervousness he had not felt as strongly in his dream was much more apparent in the real world. Sportacus placed a gentle hand on his back, soothingly stroking up and down. Íþró watched Robbie with narrowed eyes, the gears in his mind turning as he took in what Robbie was saying.

“Trial for _what?”_ Íþró questioned lowly.

“…Murder.”

Sportacus’ eyes widened, “Glanni murdered-“

Robbie jumped when the glass in Íþró’s hands shattered into pieces, cutting Sportacus off with a shrill tone. The elf’s eyes were slit, glaring holes past Robbie with a fury that he had never witnessed before. Out of instinct, Sportacus stepped in front of Robbie to block him from his brother, growling in warning when Íþró continued to glare. 

_”No.”_

Íþró’s voice came out as a snarl as he looked away, his fist hitting the counter in front of him in frustration.

“No! They can’t _do_ this to him!” Íþró’s claws dug into the counter. “He’s killed before, but never without good reason! He doesn’t _deserve_ this!”

“Íþró, what is going to happen to him?” Robbie’s voice wavered. 

“If it’s the elven court handling the trial,” Íþró closed his eyes tightly, biting out the words. “Then his punishment will be a death sentence.”

Robbie nearly dropped the spell book in his hands. His brother was about to be sentenced to death, and there he was in the comfort of his lair simply hoping for the best.

“How much time does he have?” Sportacus asked. “Surely we can get to him by then-“

“There is more than one prison, Sportacus, and even if I knew which one he was in for sure, it would take a few days at _least_ to get there!” Íþró exclaimed, his claws drawn. “The court will have done away with him long before we got there!”

Robbie shook his head, trying to gather his thoughts. Remembering dreams had always been troubling for him, but now he had to deal with the fact that his brother would die within what he could assume were hours instead of days. His brother, who had always protected and looked after him, was trapped and had no way of escape. 

_”Why the hell can’t your boyfriend teleport us there?”_ Íþró yelled. _”Maybe then he’d do some good for once instead of just whining about his wings and getting everyone else in danger-“_

_”You. Take. That. Back,”_ Sportacus’ eyes slit as his claws extended threateningly. 

_”None of this would have happened if he would just fight back for once!”_ Íþró growled lowly, glaring at Robbie. _”His own brother is going to be killed because he can’t do anything else besides cry-“_

Sportacus launched himself at Íþró with a loud growl, and the two fell backwards onto the cold floor with a loud thud. There was a flurry of claws and teeth, with neither really gaining the upper hand. They were two equally matched, and were both driven by the desire to protect the one they cared about most. 

It seemed that Robbie had misjudged Íþró’s opinion of Glanni.

After a moment of self pity, Robbie felt his hands clench in anger. He would not sit around and let that orange push-pop of an elf tell him off like that, especially not when it involved his brother. 

After grabbing the contained of sugar he had on the counter, grabbed a handful and stuffing it into his mouth, Robbie held out his hand and cast a binding charm over the two elves. Caught in his spell, the two could not move, so they simply glared at one another.

“Listen here you imp,” Robbie hissed, crouching down in front of Íþró with his fangs bared. “I care for Glanni just as much as you do, if not more, and I’ll be damned if I let some stupid elf court kill him because they think you told them to.”

Snapping his fingers, the two elves were freed from the spell, and they quickly jumped up and brushed themselves off. Sportacus moved to Robbie’s side protectively, still glaring at Íþró, while Íþró frowned but no longer glared at Robbie.

“By the time I get to that prison there won’t be any wards or precautions that will be able to keep me away from him,” Robbie bit out. “He’s saved my life more than once, and it’s about time that I return the favor.”

“And how exactly do you plan on doing that?” Íþró questioned, arms crossed. 

“Tunnels,” Robbie replied. “Glanni told me that they got there through the dwarf tunnels under the mountains just outside of town, where those trolls live.”

Robbie held up the spell book, turning to the page he’d apparently flipped to in his sleep.

“And we’ll use this to figure out which door to go through,” Robbie stated. “This spell will uncover the most recent footsteps taken in the area, which I’m hoping will be Glanni and Number Nine’s.”

Íþró’s eyes widened, and he looked away with a scowl. Sportacus continued to glare at his brother, and Íþró did not look much happier, but at least the two weren’t trying to maim one another. Sportacus nudged Robbie gently.

“Did he tell you anything else?” Sportacus asked gently. 

Robbie frowned, “I....yes, there was something else.”

Íþró glanced at him through the corner of his eye, and Sportacus nodded.

“I don’t remember,” Robbie pouted a bit. “It’s already getting fuzzy.”

Sportacus pat him in the shoulder, “It’s ok, I’m sure you’ll remember if it’s important. We should get going before we run out of time.”

Robbie snapped his fingers and the three of them appeared in the middle of town. Glancing around the snowy area, they noticed no one was outside. Robbie’s shoulders sagged in relief.

“I’ll, go check on the children,” Íþró muttered. “You two go on ahead.”

The elf was already halfway across the town before either Robbie or Sportacus could reply. Robbie frowned and shivered, mostly from the chill in the air. Sportacus took his hand gently, neither of them speaking for a few moments.

“He didn’t mean it.”

Robbie turned to Sportacus, who was looking everywhere except at him. He was referring to Íþró’s commentary on how useless he’d been, or at least that is what Robbie assumed. He had been trying to forget about it, and forget about how much it had stung.

“He has a very bad temper--always has,” Sportacus stated. “I’m not justifying what he said, but I know he didn’t mean it. He’s just…upset.”

Robbie frowned, looking down at his feet, “It might not have bothered me so much if I hadn’t already been thinking it.”

Sportacus started, “What? Robbie, don’t think that! No one is blaming you for what happened! None of this is your fault, and you’ve done everything you could!”

“You’re wrong,” Robbie muttered. “I’m blaming myself.”

Sportacus squeezed his hand, pressing a kiss to his knuckles, “I know, you do that a lot.”

“It’s because I am useless. I’m half fae, sure, but what good is it when I can barely conjure up a pair of gloves?” Robbie frowned. “Glanni had always been so much better at it than me. That’s why I was the one held captive by Number Nine and not him. He would never have let himself get into a situation like that.”

“He’s trapped now,” Sportacus pointed out. “And you aren’t useless.”

“Name one thing I’ve done to help!” Robbie snapped, turning to Sportacus with a frown. “Just one!”

Sportacus thought, and Robbie huffed as he looked away again. Not even the elf could think of a way he’d actually done any good.

“You saved me from the poisoned apple,” Sportacus said.

“You forget that it was _my apple_ to begin with,” Robbie stated. “Doesn’t count.”

“You took care of the children,” Sportacus said. “You made sure Ziggy was safe, and you made sure Stephanie was ok-“

“Oh god.”

Robbie froze, his head whipping around to glance back at the town. His breathing picked up and he began to head back, breaking out into a run.

“Stephanie!” Robbie hissed. “That’s what I forgot! We have to check on her!”

“What’s wrong with Stephanie?” Sportacus growled, already agitated from previous events.

“The goblin,” Robbie managed. “He’s got a changeling-“

That was all Sportacus needed to hear before he was charging ahead of Robbie. 

By the time Robbie was at the entrance to the mayor's house, Sportacus was already inside. The mayor himself was asleep in his bedroom, oblivious to the world around him, and Robbie flinched when he remembered that Milford's unfortunate mindset had also happened because of him. If he hadn't existed and Number Nine hadn't wanted to torment him so much as a child, then Milford might have actually turned out to be a pretty sharp guy.

Everything was his fault.

"What's going on?" Íþró asked as he walked up behind Robbie.

Robbie made his way into the house, heading up to where he assumed Sportacus would be. Íþró followed behind him silently, unsure of what the fuss was about. Swallowing down his anxiety and letting his protective nature take over, Robbie walked into Stephanie's room. Sportacus stood in the middle of it, his back facing the doorway, and Robbie's heart sank when he saw an empty bed.

Sportacus turned around with unshed tears in his eyes, and in his clawed hands Robbie saw what could only be Stephanie's diary. Gently taking the book from him, Robbie flipped to the last page. He wasn't sure what he was looking for, but he did it anyway.

_Dear diary,_

_I feel kind of strange today. I hope I'm not getting sick. I just feel like there is something watching me all the time and it's making me nervous. I couldn't eat breakfast today because my stomach had butterflies, and not the good kind. I hope that Robbie, Sportacus, and their brothers could find the goblin that is doing all of the bad stuff. Robbie won't admit it, but he's been really depressed lately. I hope he's doing ok and that Sportacus is taking care of him._

_I am really sleepy all of a sudden, but that's strange because I just woke up. It's probably because I skipped breakfast, but I just don't think I can eat anything. I think I'll go crawl in bed next to Uncle Milford tonight, or maybe call Sportacus. He'll know what to do! I'm sure I'm just making up stuff in my head because I'm scared of what is going on. I really do feel like someone is watching me._

_I think I'll call Pixel and ask if he wants to play a video game with everyone. That way Robbie won't have to worry about watching everyone. Maybe they will find the goblin easier that way, if Robbie can help. He comes up with some really cool ideas! I'm sure he would think of something!_

_Ok, I think maybe I am getting sick because I swear I just saw something out of my window. Like a face, but I can't be sure. Maybe I shouldn't eat cookies for a night time snack anymore. I think it's messing with my-_

The entry cut off there in mid sentence, and Robbie swallowed. 

"We just missed him," he announced. "I think she wrote this a few minutes ago."

"What's going on?" Íþró questioned, a bit annoyed.

Sportacus turned to his brother, trembling with adrenaline. His eyes were slit again, and his fangs bared in anger.

"The goblin is going to try to switch out Stephanie with a changeling."

Íþró's eyes widened, and he turned to Robbie, "Can you transport us out of town?"

Robbie snapped his fingers. The three of them appeared at the gate, which was where the barrier Robbie had placed would end. The moment they left they would be the most vulnerable for attack, from anything, and Robbie was not too keen on the thought. Before he could even voice his discomfort, Sportacus was walking out of town and headed towards the mountains. Íþró followed close behind, ready to find Glanni, and Robbie held the spell book to his chest as he tried to keep up. 

"Why can't you just get us to the tunnel entrance?" Íþró questioned.

"I can only go to areas I've been before," Robbie panted. "And it takes a lot more energy than you think!"

Sportacus grabbed Robbie, tossed him over his back into a piggy back position and carried him, "You're too slow."

Normally, Robbie would throw insults at him, but in this case he let the other have his way. He was worried about Stephanie and what might happen to the other children if the goblin wasn't taken care of, and that was something Robbie could understand.

They reached the tunnel entrance in a matter of minutes, and Robbie made a face at the sight of an old, unkempt doorway. Sportacus let Robbie down and they opened the door. It creaked loudly, as if wanting the entire universe to know where they were, and the three peered into the dark hallways with unease. Robbie liked dark places, but there was such a thing as _too_ dark.

Opening the spell book in his hands, Robbie took in a deep breath.

"Alright, let's do this."


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, it's been a while guys :'D I just haven't been in the mood to write this story much, although I will say that it IS nearing the end. Only a few chapters to go! And I will finish it, I promise, I have just had a lot of stuff on my plate the last few months. Some of it medical, some of it personal...just...yeah. I also did Inktober, so that took up like, 80% of my day. 
> 
> Anyway, here you go! <3

Stephanie felt very tired. 

Her body felt heavy, yet light, like she was still asleep. There was something soft beneath her, and something lightweight and warm draped over her. Scrunching up her nose, Stephanie shakily brought a hand to her eye and rubbed it before cracking it open. Varying shades of glowing blue filled her vision, fuzzy and blurred as her eyesight tried to clear. 

Stephanie pushed herself up, rubbing her eye once more as she looked around in confusion. She was in a cave; its walls covered in blue crystals. They glittered and sparkled, lighting up the darkness of the cave, and despite their pleasant hum she felt a bit apprehensive. Her eyes widened as she noticed small orbs of magic floating around her, tickling her skin and bouncing off with no harm. 

Glancing down, Stephanie realized she was lying on moss. It was very green, and by far the softest and plushest moss she’d ever seen, but she would recognize it anywhere. There had also been a light silk sheet over her, and had fallen down to her waist when she sat up. She ran her fingers over the fabric, awed by its smoothness. 

“Awake, I see!”

Stephanie jumped and turned, noting the slim figure of an adult woman a few feet from her. A trickled of apprehension trailed down her spine as she looked up, but was overrun by wonder when her eyes settled on the beauty of the other’s face.

The other was wearing layers of thin silk and satin robes, with small crystals and jewels hanging off of the fabric and glittering in the low light. Her skin was extremely pale- much more than Stephanie was used to seeing –and her ebony hair trailed down her back and over her shoulders like a veil. She had silver jewelry, adorned with more crystals, dangling over her scalp like a crown. She also couldn’t help but notice the pointed ears on the sides of her head. Her eyes were lavender and her lashes were long, fanning her cheeks every time she blinked. She smiled down at Stephanie, but the girl noticed the lack of kindness in her eyes.

“Where am I?” Stephanie softly asked.

“Home.”

Stephanie frowned, “This isn’t my home. My home is…with…”

Stephanie paused, blinking as she tried to form words. She knew she had been somewhere, and that she had been _taken_ , but she could not remember much else. Where had she been before now? 

The woman laughed and held out her hand, “Come dear.”

Stephanie stood on shaking knees, but did not take the other’s hand. She didn’t trust the woman, nor the coldness in her gaze. The woman’s smile faltered a bit, but widened just as quickly. She lowered her hand and led Stephanie through a tunnel, all lit by glowing crystals. Stephanie swallowed nervously as she followed, glancing around as she tried to remember how she’d gotten there in the first place.

“Who are you?” Stephanie asked.

“Why dear,” the woman’s voice tinkled with mirth. “I am your mother!”

Stephanie frowned. This woman…this was not her mother. Her mother was-

Stephanie swallowed and clenched her fists in frustration. She couldn’t remember.

The tunnel opened up into a larger room, filled with several other beings of a similar caliber to the woman in front of her. They each gazed on her with expressions of joy and love, but with eyes that were cold and hateful. Stephanie shuddered, trying to ignore the way they all watched her. 

The woman led her to a table covered in food. There were cakes, pastries, pies, cheeses, breads, and several cups of very thick milk. Stephanie’s mouth watered at the sight. She knew better than to eat all of these things for every meal, but surely once wouldn’t hurt? Then again, she had eaten cookies the night before-

Stephanie closed her eyes at the memory. She’d had cookies before bed and had wondered if they were the cause of her…nightmares? No…paranoia. She’d been afraid of something. But what? And where had she been when she’d eaten those cookies? 

“You must be hungry after your little adventure today,” the woman cooed, ushering her to sit down at the table. 

“What adventure?”

“That hardly matters now,” the woman smiled, small fangs shining against her lips. “What matters is that you are here now. And you must eat something!”

Stephanie looked ahead at all of the cakes and pies, and her eyes zeroed in on a glass of milk. She loved milk. It wasn’t good to drink for every meal, she knew, but she couldn’t help but have a glass every day. After all, it was good for her bones! 

“I already had milk with the cookies,” she mumbled to herself.

“You’ve been through so much precious, one more glass of milk won’t hurt,” the woman pushed the glass towards Stephanie.

Stephanie shook her head and frowned, “I can’t have it all the time.”

“And why not?” the woman tilted her head curiously.

“Because he told me not to!” Stephanie frowned. “He said that I can’t drink it at every meal because I will get addicted, and then I might get sick!”

“Who told you?” the woman laughed. 

Stephanie shut her mouth and glared down at the milk, knowing that _someone_ had told her…but she couldn’t remember who. It had been someone who had cared about her. Someone who had known she wasn’t quite human. 

“Milk has sugar in it,” Stephanie stated, shoving the milk away with a pursed lip. “I will get sick.”

The woman continued to coo at her, urging her to eat something, but Stephanie continued to refuse. She did not trust the woman who claimed to be her mother, and she did not want to eat anything that she knew would make her sick. She didn’t know who had told her that, but she trusted that person with her gut. 

Stephanie was eventually taken back to her spot on the moss and told not to leave. Her “mother” told her that she’d already been adventurous for one day, and if she left she would be punished. Not wanting to face the other’s wrath, already unsettled by her cold gaze, she did as she was told and traced patterns over the crystals beside her. Letting out a deep a lonely sigh, she hoped that someone would help her. She didn’t know what was wrong, exactly, but she knew that she didn’t belong in this place. It was beautiful…but it was so dark, and so lonely. She just wanted to go back home.

The only problem was that she didn’t know where her home was.

~*~

“I’ve always liked dark and brooding places, but this is just pathetic,” Robbie muttered under his breath as they followed the lightly glowing footsteps.

The tunnels were dark and dingy, dripping with moisture and housing many species of insects. The ground was covered with wood, but it did little to help the situation. The boards creaked under the weight of the three beings, alerting the universe to their presence. There were several footsteps glowing, much to Robbie’s annoyance, but there was a single pair that was _just_ brighter than the rest. A few random footsteps trailed beside it, as if the owner was struggling.

Robbie clenched his teeth.

“Íþró, when a Faerie is on trial with the Elven Court, do they have to consult the Faerie Council?” Robbie asked stiffly. 

“Yes,” Íþró replied quickly. “But I don’t think that will help Glanni’s situation, if that is what you were hoping.”

“Why not?”

“Because the Fae Council doesn’t usually respond when the Court sends out a request for meeting,” Íþró sighed. “The Faerie Council doesn’t like to acknowledge any wrongdoers. They pretend that nothing happened, and sweep everything under the rug. To them, Glanni doesn’t exist.”

“So what does the Court do then?” Sportacus asked with a frown.

Íþró was silent for a moment, his skin ashy and his eyes dull.

“They generally give the Council a few days to respond, but after that they proceed with the trial themselves,” Íþró swallowed. “And if that goblin is there pretending to be me, there’s no telling what will happen.”

The three of them continued in a tense silence, following the faintly glowing footsteps with frowns etched on their faces. Robbie’s eyes zeroed in on the way Glanni’s feet seemed to have dragged more and more with each step, no doubt struggling to get away with extreme difficulty. He swallowed a fearful lump in his throat and gripped the spellbook’s binding tightly. He could hear Sportacus’ quick and light steps behind him, and Íþró’s heavier ones stomping harshly. His own steps were lethargic, dragging behind him almost lethargically. He felt a heavy weight in his chest and on his heart. He was moments from panic, but he grit his teeth and continued forward. He tried to ignore the twinge of pain between his shoulder blades. 

His dream had been so real. His _wings_ had felt so real, and now it was like he had lost them all over again. The ache, one he would have to live with forever, followed him like a shadow. It had created a hole in his heart that would remain vacant, and nothing would be able to fill it.

“How much longer?” Sportacus asked softly, trying not to sound too concerned.

Robbie shrugged, wincing at the sharp sting he felt along his spine. He glanced around the dark hall, disgusted at the moisture dripping along the sides of the dirt walls. The tunnels were surprisingly noisy despite being empty. He could hear drips, scratches, the shuffling of he and his companions’ feet, a laugh-

Robbie froze, as did the two elves. The fae’s eyes widened, swallowing as he tried not to make a sound. He clutched the spellbook tightly, shaking despite his effort not to. Sportacus stepped out in front of him, squinting ahead into the darkness. Elves were not blessed with particularly good night vision, being creatures of the sun. 

The laughing was strange and far away. It did not sound like an elf or a fae, nor did it sound like a dwarf or troll. It was a high-pitched, raspy, cackle, filling the tunnel with its humorless mirth. Another voice joined in with the second, speaking to one another in a language Robbie could not quite understand. 

“Is that Elvish?” Robbie questioned in a hushed voice.

Íþró and Sportacus shook their heads, frowning as they listened. If it was not Elvish then it was safe to assume that they were not hearing Elves or Fairies, and Robbie was fairly certain they were not Dwarves or Trolls. The Jörðic language was vastly different from Elvish- much harsher and more stable, as opposed to the natural lilt and fleeting nature of Elven speech.

“It isn’t Jörðic,” Íþró mumbled. “But I’ve heard this before.”

“It’s similar to our language,” Sportacus whispered in confusion. “I can understand small pieces of what they are saying.”

Robbie swallowed, his skin gaunt and pale with fear. He clutched the book’s binding so tightly it crackled, and Sportacus turned to him with a worried expression. Reaching over and touching his shoulder, Sportacus asked if he was alright. Robbie closed his eyes, trying to will away his anxiety and nerves, and racked his brain for ideas. He was intelligent, clever, and great at solving problems, he just needed to calm himself down.

“They are comfortable here,” Robbie whispered, his voice thick as he tried to keep his breath regular. “It is dark, cold, wet…but they are talking as if they come down here every day.”

Íþró straightened, his head turned in the direction of the voices. Robbie could see the tips of Sportacus’ ears wiggle, and he realized the elf was not wearing his hat. The blond curls, were heavy against his head from the humidity of the tunnels. The sight distracted him, helping him calm his nerves for a brief moment.

“They aren’t Faeries, are they?” Íþró asked Robbie, his brow furrowed. “I mean, perhaps another branch-“

“No, all Faeries speak the same language, with the addition of the language of the realm they reside in,” Robbie stated. “But there is no such thing as a secondary Fae dialect, and it is the same for Elves…right?”

“Elves have regional slang, but that is it,” Sportacus replied. 

“And it definitely isn’t Jörðic,” Íþró mumbled. “So what does that leave us with? They can’t be Ogres,or Centaurs…or any nymphs.”

Robbie grit his teeth, the gears in his mind rapidly spinning. The three of them stood there in silence, listening to the sinister cackles ahead, unsure of how to proceed.

“Gnomes?” Sportacus offered before shaking his head. “No. They don’t speak.”

Robbie shook his head, not wanting to voice his opinion. They were each thinking it- he _knew_ they were by the grimness of their expressions. They could not see his, but he could see theirs.

“Goblins?” Robbie whispered, his fingers trembling.

Íþró stiffened and Sportacus bared his teeth for a brief second, but neither replied. Goblins did not tend to travel in pairs. They were solitary, and the idea of two laughing with each other was a bit ludicrous…and yet what other explanation could there be? 

The laughing distances itself further, as if the two speaking were walking away. Robbie inhaled and exhaled slowly before walking forward, to the surprise of both elves. The glowing steps continued onward and Robbie’s mood grew sourer with each movement he made. He thought he saw dried blood next to them, but he could have imagined it. 

If those two _were_ goblins, he would have to prepare himself for the worst.

~*~

Stephanie sat at the table, crossing her arms with a frown on her face. She would not eat any of the food, no matter how hungry she was. There was something suspicious about how persistent the woman who claimed to be her mother was behaving, and she didn’t trust it at all. She didn’t seem to care for her when she told her to drink the milk always waiting on the table, or the cake that called for her. She only grew more adamant.

Stephanie had the silk blanket around her shoulders, shivering in the coolness of the cave. Despite the glowing crystals and torches that lit the area, along with the furnaces where some of the other creatures were working, it was dark. They seemed to be working on weaponry and continuously spared glances her way. They would smile, but she would not smile back. This was quite possibly the longest she’d ever gone without smiling, and she hated it. 

Who were these people? Why did they look so familiar to her, yet so strange? Their pointed ears reminded her of someone, and the darkness of the cave reminded her of someone else…but who? Stephanie closed her eyes, drowning out the persistent whining of the woman beside her, and tried to remember. Despite what the woman told her, she knew she did not belong in this place. 

Stephanie frowned. 

She knew she was active, and she knew that she ate very well. She would run and play with her friends, who she could not remember the names of, and she would always go to bed at 8:08.

“8.08?” she mumbled to herself, opening her eyes.

The woman was now beside her, offering her large pieces of sugary cakes and a glass of cream. There was a strawberry shortcake slice in the mix, which just so happened to be one of her favorites, but it did not beckon her the way it normally would. The numbers she had spoken left a strange taste in her mouth, distracting her from reality.

_”Nuss,”_ the woman purred. “Please, your stomach calls for food! You must eat something!”

“Do you have any apples?” Stephanie asked hopefully.

“My dear, you must eat _this-“_

“Then no thank you, I’m not hungry,” Stephanie huffed. 

The woman sighed, her smile long gone from her face. Stephanie noticed how smooth her skin was. The woman must have been much older than her, and yet she had no signs of wrinkles or age marks. She looked almost like a doll, and it was extremely unsettling.

Stephanie gasped as an image of a smile, wide with skin crinkling along the edges, and a pair of two baby blue eyes sparkling down at her came to her mind. It disappeared just as quickly, but it left Stephanie dazed for a moment. When she regained her thoughts the woman was practically shoving a biscuit down her throat, and Stephanie shoved her hand away with a frown.

“If it’s so important to eat, then why aren’t you eating anyway?” Stephanie demanded.

A smile, plastic and not genuine, split the woman’s face in two. She stood, slowly, and loomed over Stephanie as she reached over and plucked a strawberry from the cake in front of her. She popped it into her mouth and chewed slowly, lavender eyes wide as they bore into Stephanie’s brown ones. 

“You didn’t eat any cake,” Stephanie pointed out.

The woman opened her mouth to reply when a high-pitched squeal of delight broke the silence. Stephanie jumped and turned, eyes wide as she watched a small blond-haired boy run up to the table covered in cake. He was too small to reach any of it, but he jumped up and down nonetheless.

“Ziggy?” Stephanie blinked, shocked that she remember his name.

He turned to her and gasped, “Stephanie! Isn’t this cool? There’s so much cake!”

Stephanie stood and grabbed Ziggy’s hand, pulling him close as she glared at the woman a few feet away. She was smiling down at Ziggy with fondness in her eyes, but that was overrun by a delight that unnerved Stephanie. 

“Don’t eat it,” Stephanie said. 

“What?” Ziggy asked. “Why not? The lady who brought me here told me I could!”

Stephanie shook her head, her grip tightening, “I’m telling you not to.”

“But Stephanie-“

“Ziggy, I am your friend! Just do as I say!” she snapped.

She was angry, upset, confused, and on top of that she was starving. Her energy was shockingly low, but she would protect Ziggy with her life. The boy did not respond to her outburst, a little frightened by her unhappy expression.

“Now, there is no need for any of that,” the woman cooed, walking to the two of them. “There is nothing wrong with this food, despite what you might believe.”

“I don’t trust you,” Stephanie said, shaking. 

Ziggy noticed her fear and moved to stand behind her, suddenly nervous. He glanced around and saw the other people were watching them with strange expressions, and he swallowed as he clutched Stephanie’s dress in his little hands. Stephanie backed away from the woman, ready to grab Ziggy and run if she needed to.

“You are confused, and I understand that,” the woman said. “But you need to calm down and eat something.”

Stephanie shook her head backing away again, and Ziggy trembled.

“I wish Robbie was here,” he whispered. “And Sportacus.”

Stephanie gasped, memories flooding her like a broken dam, and the creatures around them hissed and snarled. Ziggy whimpered at the sight, burying his face in Stephanie’s back, and the girl swayed as a wave of dizziness overcame her. 

“Sportacus,” Stephanie whispered, her eyes wide. “Sportacus!”

Ziggy glanced up at her and the woman glared, fangs bared at her in repulsion. The other creatures began to crowd around them as Stephanie spoke, hissing every time she said the elf’s name. Relief overcame her, but was quickly replaced by an overwhelming sense of dread. She glanced around at the faces of the creatures, suddenly realizing that they all looked strikingly similar to Sportacus and Íþró. Pointed ears, pointed canines, silky hair, clear skin… Yet, they held none of the happiness and mirth that the two elves had.

“Do not say his name!” one of them sneered.

“Why not?” Ziggy’s voice was muffled against Stephanie’s dress.

“He and his family cause us nothing but pain!” another cried. “Their names are forbidden! Do not dare speak such vile words!”

“Sportacus does not cause pain!” Stephanie cried out. “Sportacus is my friend!”

“Foolish girl, you know _nothing!”_

“Sportacus will find me!” Stephanie stomped her foot. 

She cried out as the woman behind her grabbed her arm, wrenching her away from Ziggy. The boy cried out her name, reaching for her with small hands, but she was soon out of reach. The woman shoved Stephanie into a chair, holding her down and glaring at her.

“Do not say his name again,” she hissed. “Now _eat!”_

Stephanie glared at her, her own eyes flashing as Ziggy ran up to her and grabbed her hand tightly. He had tears running down his cheeks, terrified, and she was furious. She took in a deep breath, and yelled at the top of her lungs.

“SPORTACUS!”

~*~

Sportacus froze as his crystal beeped, ringing out in the darkness of the tunnels.

“What is it?” Íþró asked.

Sportacus frowned, his mustache twitching as he felt himself crouch down in a pose to run. Claws lengthened along his fingers and his fangs bared as he growled lowly, bolting off into a sprint before Íþró could stop him. Paying no mind to the glowing footprints ahead, Sportacus shot off in the direction he knew he needed to go. He could sense Íþró close behind, carrying Robbie on his back like he had done earlier that day.

Sportacus skidded to a stop in front of a doorway, unable to see it clearly in the darkness. He slammed it open with a growl as Íþró stopped behind him.

“Sportacus, what is it?” Íþró demanded.

“Stephanie,” was his only reply.

The door’s slam was loud and echoed throughout the dimly lit passageway, but Sportacus paid it no mind. He sprinted through the dimly lit corridor, noticing the strange crystals that adorned the walls and the floors. His own crystal continued to beep and blink, dragging him away from his thoughts as he ran faster. He did not really know where he was going, but he felt an instinctual tug that could not be ignored.

Íþró struggled to follow, finding this his brother was far quicker on his feet than he was. He was a bit of a lighter build, so it made sense, and on top of that Íþró was carrying a fae. Robbie clutched at Íþró’s clothes for dear life, squeezing his eyes tightly and muttering unsavory insults under his breath. An uneven leap over a stone jutting out from the ground jostled Robbie a bit and irritated his back, earning Íþró a groan and a smack on the shoulder. 

“Sorry,” Íþró mumbled.

“Just shut up and run,” Robbie bit out, his fingers digging into Íþró’s muscles.

Íþró did as he was told, running faster to try and catch up to his brother. He tried not to jump around so much, knowing that it would cause the other pain. He didn’t want that.

His opinion of Robbie had not been the best at first, partially due to Robbie’s immediate dislike towards him. Then, Íþró noticed the way that Robbie would speak, talk, cast magic, even the little sneer he would send in the elf’s direction. It was so similar to Glanni that it hurt. Of course, it made sense that Glanni would rub off on his brother, but their likeness was so uncanny that Íþró grew to dislike the fae for it. 

It wasn’t that he truly didn’t like Robbie…it was that Robbie reminded him of his failure to keep Glanni out of trouble.

Íþró snapped out of his thoughts when he registered Robbie thumping his head in irritation, and he felt his ears turn red.

“Yes?”

“I don’t think that those voices were Goblins,” Robbie muttered.

Íþró frowned, “What do you mean?”

Robbie wrapped one arm around Íþró’s neck, trapping the spellbook between his chest and the elf’s back, and gestured around the area wildly with his free arm. Íþró took a moment to take in his surroundings, suddenly noticing the vast array of glowing crystals and floating specks of magic. A wash of dread came over Íþró, and he looked ahead to where Sportacus was running.

His brother had no idea…

_“Hóru sonur!”_ Íþró cursed under his breath. “Sportacus!”

Sportacus either ignored his brother, or did not hear him. Robbie swallowed and couldn’t help but clutch at Íþró just a bit tighter. The older elf bit out a string of curses, trying to run even faster. He was glad he had not cast much magic that day, because he would definitely need it.

The tunnel opened into a clearing from what they could see, and Sportacus had stopped just before it. Íþró caught up and grabbed his brother’s arm firmly as Robbie fell off of his back with a small noise of complaint. Sportacus turned to Íþró with a stoic expression, his pupils slit and his claws still drawn.

_”Let go,”_ he stated in his mother tongue. 

_“Sportacus, we are in Dökkálfar territory!”_ Íþró hissed, his own pupils slitting of their own accord.

Sportacus stiffened and glanced at Robbie with a regretful look in his eyes. He peered down at the spellbook that Robbie held.

“Do you know any spells against Elven magic?” Sportacus asked lowly.

Robbie shook his head, “Sportacus, I barely know how to levitate objects.”

There was an irritated glimmer in the other’s gaze, one that made Robbie feel very small. He had never received that look from Sportacus before, and he hoped he never would again. The elf glanced back at the mouth of the tunnel to where it opened.

_“Íþró, protect Robbie.”_

Íþró opened his mouth to protest, but Sportacus had already bounded off. Robbie shook, angry at himself for being so useless, and opened up his spellbook to look for a spell- _anything_ that could help. He could feel Íþró’s gaze on him, but he said nothing.

“Spell for dancing shoes, spell for dreamless sleep, spell for weight loss…” Robbie mumbled to himself as he flipped. “Spell for enhanced thinking, spell for altering appearance- gah! This is so stupid! None of these will work!”

He slammed the book down on the dirt and moss covered ground, flinching at the loud slam it made. He grit his teeth when he heard the low murmurs and hissing from the Dark Elves, and he felt a gnawing pain in his chest knowing that Sportacus was out there _alone._ He glanced back at Íþró and froze at the look the other sent his way. Ashamed at his outburst, Robbie bent over and picked up the spellbook, dusting it off carefully as if it were the most important task.

“Robbie.”

Íþró was looking out the entrance, looking for any sign of his brother. Robbie walked forward, wondering if the other had seen anything, but stopped when he realized that Íþró was simply speaking to him.

“I’m sorry for what I said.”

Robbie’s jaw fell open, his eyes wide and the book now firmly held against his chest. He gave Íþró a once over, checking for any sign of illness, but was only left more confused when he found nothing out of the ordinary.

“I…beg your pardon?” Robbie stammered.

Íþró turned to him, “You aren’t useless.”

Robbie swallowed, shaking from adrenaline and nerves. He looked away, unsure of how to respond.

“I can’t do anything to help,” Robbie bit out. “I want to- I _try_ to…but…”

A thick silence followed as he trailed off, and Robbie moved to slide down onto the ground. He was already exhausted, and on top of that he was feeling sorry for himself.

“Not everyone helps in the same way,” Íþró said. “And don’t compare yourself to Glanni.”

“How can I not?” Robbie bit out. “He’s only half fae too, and on top of that he had to teach himself almost everything he knows in terms of magic! But I can’t even cast any spell without having a step-by-step manual!”

“But Glanni wasn’t being held hostage by a madman,” Íþró pointed out. 

“I’ve had plenty of time to learn, but I’ve been to busy trying to ignore my problems,” Robbie admitted. “Instead of spending the time I had to try and fix things, I just swept them under the rug and hoped for the best.”

Robbie jumped at the sound of loud screeches and hisses, indicating that Sportacus had made his presence known. Robbie stood, hoping that the other was alright.

“If it’s any consolation,” Íþró said softly. “I think you are very strong.”

Robbie stared at the elf, completely certain the other had finally lost his mind. The hissing grew louder as the Dark Elves drew closer, and Íþró’s claws extended. He paled when he heard a scream- recognizing it immediately as Stephanie’s. Íþró growled lowly, ready for when the onslaught came, and waiting for his brother to show. 

“ZIGGY!” Stephanie’s voice rang out in fear.

Robbie dropped the spellbook- time stood still for a long moment. His breathing stopped, his skin grew gaunt, and his eyes glowed with a rage that had Íþró concerned. The elf turned to him, eyes wide, and Robbie’s lip curled up as he growled. Without a second thought, he ran out into the opening. Íþró yelled at him to turn around, but he refused to listen.

The area was littered with weaponry, covered head to toe in dark magic and things that even Faeries would not dare tamper with. There was a reason no one associated with the Dökkálfar. Robbie paused when his eyes fell upon a knife. It was dark, silver, and covered in varying crystals and runes. He scoffed at it and picked it up, deeming it an appropriate weapon.

Robbie looked up when he saw a single Dark Elf- a woman –running with an unconscious Ziggy in her arms. Her eyes widened upon seeing him, but she hissed and spat at him soon after. Robbie gripped his knife tightly, growling loudly and threateningly. He had never felt such a white hot rage in his life, but he knew _exactly_ what this woman wanted.

“Give him to me,” Robbie hissed. “I am his caretaker.”

“He is my son!” was her reply, holding him as if he were her own.

“You had a son, and you switched him for mine!” Robbie’s fingers twitched as sparks of magic zapped around them. “You do not deserve him!”

“How dare you-“

Robbie lunged at her, swinging a fist down and hitting her jaw. She stumbled, but recovered and clutched Ziggy so he would not fall. The small boy, thankfully appearing unharmed, was limp. The mere idea that he was not alive was all Robbie needed to let out a piercing cry and swipe at the woman with his new knife. She was quick, being an elf, but she was not trained. Not to mention she showed signs of having recently given birth, and that would take its toll on anyone. He shoved her down, bringing the hilt of the knife down on her head in an attempt to knock her out. He would not kill her, despite his strong urge to do so. The hit had little effect, so he whispered a small sleeping charm over her. She quickly lost consciousness, and Robbie hastily gathered Ziggy into his arms. He kissed the boy’s head, relief flooding him before he looked up and realized more elves were coming. 

Robbie stood on shaking legs, holding Ziggy in one arm and clutching his knife with the other. Íþró came up behind him, briefly glancing him over for any injuries, and then bolted off in front to fend off some of the Dark Elves. Robbie stood, waiting patiently for the sight of Sportacus’ blond curls and Stephanie’s pink locks to appear in his vision. Several Dark Elves spotted him and hissed at the sight of the unconscious elven woman at his feet, but could not get past Íþró and his quick feet. 

Robbie grew frantic as more elves drew near, some making it past Íþró and towards the fae. Still high on adrenaline, Robbie swung at them in order to protect the young boy in his arms. He hissed when his shoulder caught the sharp nails of one particularly aggressive elf, and when another grabbed his hair and violently tugged, but no harm came to Ziggy. Robbie swung his knife, growling at the sight of dark elven blood whenever he managed to knick them in the arms or shoulders, and managed to fend them off. 

He and the elves froze when a dark, sinister growl cut through the noise of their hissing and screeching. The sound was enough to make the Dökkálfar turn to the noise with defensive growls of their own, ignoring Robbie and Íþró at the threat. 

Sportacus appeared in the entryway the other elves had come from, carrying an unconscious Stephanie in his arms. The girl did not appear physically harmed other than the light bruises on her arms, but that was enough to send a trickle of fury through Robbie. The elf caught his gaze and Robbie shuddered. His claws were drawn while they held Stephanie, his fangs bared threateningly to anyone who got in his way, and his blue eyes shone like beacons as they bore into Robbie’s.

Sportacus growled louder when a Dark Elf tried to sneak up and swipe at Robbie, causing the creature to flinch in fear. Íþró swallowed, murmuring something to Sportacus as his brother weaved in and out of the crowd of Dark creatures. They parted for him to Robbie’s surprise, making no move to attack. He walked up to Robbie, still growling, and then turned towards the tunnel from which they had come, expecting the fae to follow him. Robbie did, sparing a glance at Íþró to find the other running up to them, and then stared at the Dark Elves who watched them leave with dark expressions.

“Why aren’t they attacking us?” Robbie asked Íþró softly.

“If they did, Sportacus would probably slaughter them all,” Íþró whispered. 

Robbie raised an eyebrow, but decided not to argue. He would question Sportacus about it later when he wasn’t growling at everything. Robbie snagged his spellbook as they left, glad that it hadn’t been damaged. They made their way back into the dark tunnels, unsure of what to do. Robbie peered down at the small boy in his arms, sleeping soundly without a care in the world.

“We need to get them back,” he said, brushing a strand of Ziggy’s hair from his face.

Íþró’s jaw tightened, “But Glanni doesn’t have much time left.”

Robbie frowned, knowing that they couldn’t have much further to go to find his brother. He whispered the spell to see the footprints again, and his eyes widened at the sight of them turning into a door a few yards ahead. Íþró stared at them longingly, knowing that the fae couldn’t be far from them, while Sportacus tried to regain his composure. He glanced down at Stephanie, still furious at what had happened to her, and nuzzled her forehead as he closed his eyes.

“We should take them with us,” Sportacus said.

Íþró and Robbie turned to him with shocked expressions. Robbie hissed at him, holding Ziggy tighter.

“Are you mad?” he bit out.

Sportacus looked up, “Trust me.”

Íþró glanced back at the doorway, and Robbie swallowed. He wanted to smack Sportacus for suggesting such a ludicrous thing, but the look on the other’s face told him he had an idea. 

“If they get hurt, Sportacus-“

“I know,” Sportacus said gently. “They won’t.”

Robbie glanced down at Ziggy, casting a silent protection spell over him. He would not let the boy get hurt. The fact that he’d been taken without his knowledge had been nerve-wracking enough. No, he would protect Ziggy with his life if he had to. With a heavy sigh, orbbie followed Sportacus and Íþró through the doorway that led to Glanni. 

~*~

“I told you!” Glanni’s voice was strained and weak. “That man was a rapist, and a murderer! I killed him because no one else would-“

His voice trailed off into a loud screech, tears spilling from his eyes at the agonizing pain he felt. He’d always hated curses, especially Elvish ones. They were only every used for the accused or the damned, wringing out every piece of information from their subjects as they could. The pain Glanni felt was the worst he’d ever experiences, and probably the worst he’d ever experience again. He was not an innocent man, but he knew that he did not deserve this torment, nor would he wish it upon anyone else…save for the goblin that had harmed his brother.

It wasn’t until the curse was briefly lifted that Glanni realized he’d begun to cry out Íþró’s name, earning a smack in the face from the man who was in charge of his trial. He did not need to look up again to see the similarities between the man and the one he cared for. They had the same mustache, the same piercing blue eyes, the same muscular build…even the same tone of voice. The only difference he could find between this man and Íþró was his unfriendly expression and his lack of mercy.

“Do _not_ speak out my son’s name!” the man growled at him. “He convicted you, and yet you cry for his mercy? You will not receive it.”

“That man is not your son!” Glanni rasped, breathing heavily. “I told you, he’s-“

“You admit to your crimes, but you expect me to believe that my own _son_ is being imitated by a goblin? That I can’t recognize my own flesh and blood?” the man bit out angrily. “You are a murderer following in his father’s footsteps! Why should I believe a single word you say?”

Glanni felt a hot tear run down his cheek, looking up at the man that was in charge of his life. If he squinted, he could almost see Íþró, and the thought that this was the closest he’d ever get to seeing the other elf again was heartwrenching. 

“P-please!” he begged. “I don’t care what you do to me! Just don’t let that bastard go-“

Glanni cried out as the curse the elf had over him was brought back to life, trickling through his veins like white-hot metal. Memories of things he’d buried deep inside of himself were brought back to his attention, overriding his mind with painful thoughts and feelings. A memory of Íþró, glaring down at him playfully after catching him in the act of shoplifting, was the last thing Glanni remembered before falling unconscious.


End file.
